Fatal Action: The Rise of Mysterio
by Celtic Sorceress
Summary: Sequel to the Widow Maker. MJ reluctantly finds herself back in NYC to film a movie destined for disaster when a super villain arises, prompting Peter/Spider-Man to once again protect the woman he loves despite their complicated past. MJ/P S
1. Chapter 1: Feelings That Don't Change

Title: Fatal Action: The Rise of a Super Villain (Sequel to the Widow Maker, title to change as the villain is discovered)

Rating: T (subject to change)

Pairing: Peter(S)/MJ (as if there could be any other pairing!)

Verse: Movie/Comic/Cartoon- nothing is safe from my tinkering. As the original story was based mostly off the original (2000) Spider-Man movie, there are references to such; however, I am also including information from the sequels, comics, and the 1994 cartoon because it's fun! ;)

Summary: Sequel to the Widow Maker. Months after the events in the Widow Maker, Mary Jane Watson reluctantly finds herself back in NYC to film a movie destined for disaster, prompting Peter/Spider-Man to once again protect the woman he loves. Will he be able to keep her safe or will the introduction of a super villain along with the complicated relationship between MJ and Peter be too much for the wallcrawler to handle?

Disclaimer: Much to my own chagrin, I do not own Spider-Man/Peter, MJ, or any of the other delightful characters found in Marvel's (Disney/Stan Lee) Spider-Man. I do wish I did as Quesada doesn't even know how to play with the Marvel toys properly. So… I'm borrowing them for a time and I promise to do my best to entertain. No copyright infringement or any other type of stealing on my part is intended. The fact of the matter is, I just want to play and provide some fun- when I'm done I'll put everything back where I found it. Any characters created by me, such as the Widow Maker, Zoey etc… belong to me, otherwise we know who owns the rest.

Author's Note: As with the Widow Maker, my intent is to provide for the shippers of Peter/MJ. With all the chaos and destruction in our world as of late (the RUINED comics and the lackluster reboot of the movie- no MJ, no movie IMO), us Peter/MJ fans need something in our lives. It's been years since I finished the Widow Maker and the sequel was well in hand before the final chapter of the Widow Maker. Unfortunately, many things got in the way of working on the sequel and it's been put off until now. This is a WIP and I will do my best to update frequently, but I make no promises! Please be patient and I'll do my best to provide a good sequel! One thing has not changed since the Widow Maker, I LOVE reviews, oh and Peter/MJ, ok so two things have not changed! :P Hope you all enjoy and please let me know, review, review, review! Those reviews fuel the fire that makes the story world go 'round!

Chapter 1: Feelings That Don't Change

Song: Santa Monica, Savage Garden

_In Santa Monica, in the winter time,  
The lazy streets so undemanding  
I walk into the crowd  
In Santa Monica, you get your  
coffee from  
The coolest places on the  
promenade  
Where people dress just so  
Beauty so unavoidable, everywhere  
you turn  
It's there I sit and wonder what am I  
doing here?  
But on the telephone line I  
am anyone  
I am anything I want to be  
I could be a super model or  
Norman Mailer  
And you wouldn't know the  
difference  
Or would you?_

_In Santa Monica, all the people got_  
_modern names_  
_Like Jake or Mandy_  
_And modern bodies too_  
_In Santa Monica, on the boulevard,_  
_You'll have to dodge those_  
_In-line skaters_  
_Or they'll knock you down_  
_I never felt so lonely,_  
_Never felt so out of place_  
_I never wanted something more_  
_than this_

_But on the telephone line I_  
_am anyone_  
_I am anything I want to be_  
_I could be a super model or_  
_Norman Mailer_  
_And you wouldn't know the_  
_difference_  
_On the telephone line, I am_  
_any height_  
_I am any age I want to be_  
_I could be a caped crusader, or_  
_space invader_  
_And you wouldn't know_  
_the difference_  
_Or would you?_

The view was exquisite. There was no other way to describe it. It was picture perfect. The blue ocean could be seen lapping the white sands of the beach in the near distance. The palm trees swayed softly in what could only be a warm breeze. The temperature never seemed to raise or drop below perfect. In the morning, when the sun rose, it glistened off the ocean, casting its warm glow on the cliffs and city of Santa Monica below.

Surfers were as much a part of the beach as the sand itself. They were a never ending continuance- like the waves were part of the ocean. The dotting of trees outlined the break from the sand and boardwalk to the streets of the city. The pier ran along the beach. When the sun set lights flickered there brightly, a riot of colors in the night sky. The old time amusement park produced the colorful lights. The Ferris Wheel loomed in the view, a landmark of Santa Monica much like the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building are landmarks in New York.

The view captured the heart and soul of Santa Monica making it easier to call it home.

For Mary Jane Watson, Santa Monica had been her home for a little over seven months now.

She loved this view and she had grown to love everything she saw in it. She could even picture the things that couldn't be directly found in the view. Things like the Third Street Promenade, where wonderful street performers, musicians, and theaters could be found. She thrived in that environment spending most or all her free time there. It was close to the beach in her view but too small to decipher from her window. She also loved a little theater called the Monica where some of the more artsy flicks are shown.

But, none of it was New York, her hometown. She missed it. She missed a lot of things about New York.

MJ turned away from her perfect view not wanting to taint it with her sad thoughts. She sighed, sinking into a sofa chair across the room.

The apartment she was provided with by the soap opera, Secret Hospital (which she had become a regular on) is small, but more than adequate. The view itself was worth it.

One sigh turned into another sigh as she glanced at her watch. She would have to be to work soon. But on a morning like this, where too much thought was bottled up inside, she needed some time to think before traveling the distance to the studio located in Los Angeles and putting on her acting face.

She thought about how she had adapted to her new life. She felt she handled herself pretty well for someone who found themselves all alone in a strange new environment. The weather wasn't the only difference between Santa Monica and New York City. Though, like any city, there were similarities between the two. Santa Monica has gang problems and violence and a heavy bustle similar to that of New York. There was more than one occasion where she felt her life was in danger or at least her wallet.

However, there was no one to watch her back. No superhero stalker. Not even a friend.

MJ shifted in the big over-sized chair, catching her own smirk in the mirror on the wall nearby.

Peter.

Every day, at least once his name crossed her mind. No matter how she tried to fight it. It was there.

Spider-Man.

Even here in CA, across the entire country, Spider-Man was known. If only they knew him as she did.

She liked it better when Spider-Man, AKA Peter Parker was just the boy next door. Foolishly, she never noticed how wonderful the boy next door really was until it was all too late.

She spent most of her life hiding from her horrid family life and plastering one fake smile to the next on her face. All through high school she dated the wrong boys, from Flash Thompson to Harry Osborn. None of which were what she really needed or wanted. They were all like her father in the end: needy or abusive, and they only took from MJ leaving her drained and alone.

Not Peter. Peter loved her. He loved her as in the past tense. She realized too late and now there was a chasm between them. It was no mere wedge that could be mended now. She tried everything she could to get through to him. But he cut away the ties to the bridge between them and now nothing remained but the gaping chasm; a black hole of darkness, what some would call oblivion, to fall into if she attempted to reach out to him.

So she did what seemed logical to her. She ran away. He pushed so many times and she finally obliged. She had been too strong for too long and it only gotten her hurt. It was a feeling she had grown accustomed to. She allowed all the men in her life to walk all over her and why should Peter have been any different? Even if he was nothing like them, yet exactly like them!

He certainly proved in the end that he really was not so different than Flash or her dad, hadn't he? She had given him the power, the power to reach past the façade. She'd trusted him. And he just hurt her more than they ever had or could, whether it was intentional or not.

MJ groaned in annoyance, tossing a pillow onto the nearby couch. She stood up, snatching her car keys off the stand by the doorway. There was nothing good that would come from these thoughts and no release of the tension in her this morning. And there was no point in being late for work because of it.

Some days were just harder than others- that's all.

She stepped out into the fresh, warm air and breathed it in. She allowed herself a hint of a smile as she basked in the warm glow of the sun. She walked through the small parking lot of her apartment building located high on the cliffs of Santa Monica. A few roller-bladers and skateboarders passed her by, a mix of giggles and breaths as they maneuvered around her. She had grown used to them much as she had the overcrowded streets of Manhattan and because of this she dodged them easily. A cooling breeze rustled her hair and she decided to raise the top on her convertible.

A few months ago if someone asked her if she would be driving a car, let alone a convertible, she would have laughed riotously in their faces; although the car was just a leaser. She had only given in to getting one when she realized it would be cheaper than taking a cab every day. She had only just learned her way around the area as well.

The engine roared to life with the turn of her key and she glanced in the rearview mirror at herself. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. When she was done, she donned a smile and there she was, Miss MJ Watson, actress ready for action.

* * *

The studio wasn't far and MJ arrived on time despite her worry of being late. She entered the air conditioned building from a side entrance after displaying her ID card to a security guard.

She tossed her bag aside as she walked into the make-up room. She gave a smile or two to the few regulars on the show she rarely worked with before plopping into a makeup chair next to her on screen sister, Rachel played by Wendy Grande.

"Morning, MJ," Wendy muttered as one of the artists applied makeup to Wendy's cheekbones.

"Hey Wen," MJ breathed out untying her hair from the sloppy ponytail she threw it in earlier. "Any script changes?"

"Aren't there always?" Wendy said teeth clamped together.

MJ picked up a script from the cluttered make-up counter and thumbed through looking for any changes to her character, Dinah. Dinah showed up a few months ago at Secret Hospital looking for her long lost sister and family. She was given up for adoption because her mother was afraid Dinah's father was not the same person who fathered Rachel, Dinah's older sister. Dinah was a lot like MJ herself. She was emotional, but hid behind a party girl attitude and tired of being hurt by the ones she loved; however she could not give up. That's what drove her to Grant Cove, where the fictional Secret Hospital was located. Dinah is now involved in a storyline where Rachel is being stalked by a serial killer and Dinah's boyfriend, Charles was the latest victim. Rachel's love interest is bad boy Cooper who is secretly a cop on the trail of the killer.

A few small line changes were made, but Dinah didn't have a large part anyway. Rachel was the more popular character. Wendy had been on the show for well over three years now and a fan favorite.

"So, how many times do you think Stephen will goof up his lines today?" Wendy chuckled as another make-up artist came up to MJ and began work on her.

MJ chuckled, finding some humor in the main stars uncanny ability to make slip ups. He wasn't the brightest but he had a face any woman would love - not to mention a killer body. "Who knows." she replied, watching at the make-up artist set to work on her red hair. The transformation into her character was beginning and MJ closed her eyes, going over her lines.

* * *

New York City was hot. Too hot. Hotter than any other day in July that Peter Parker could remember. Even the feel of the rushing wind hitting his masked face as he soared through the air on gossamer lines of webbing, going from one building to the next, could not take away from the heat of the blistering sun.

And no, he's not delusional or insane. He is Spider-Man.

His feet connected with the building first then his hands grasped the brick side affixing him to the outside of the hundred-some-story building. He estimated he was somewhere in the late nineties, the rooftop only a spider's leap away. He looked over his shoulder spotting his favorite building with ease. He leapt away from the building he had just clung to and free fell backwards rolling into a back somersault before twisting around to gauge how far away from his landing point he was.

He allowed the rush of the freefall to last only seconds longer before he slowed his decent and landed with a soft thud on the ledge of the building. He turned to his favorite buddy, Bruce the Gargoyle and saluted. "Hey there, stony. At least you always have a smile for your pal, Spidey." He snickered staring the monster in the eyes. He swore he saw a look of humor in the gray stone eyes of the gargoyle. He shook the cobwebs from his brain with a laugh before leaning against his buddy, exhausted and nearly overheated.

The temperature in the city was near the 98 degree mark. A heat wave had swept over the city a few days ago. It was sitting over the entire tri-state area unmoving and it looked like there was no end in sight to the blistering heat. Weather reporters predicted there would be no relief from the blazing heat anytime soon, and people should stay in-doors when possible in an attempt to keep cool.

Peter harrumphed. Like anyone in New York would listen to that! Perhaps, if they had he wouldn't be out patrolling the city streets and he would be plopped in front of the air conditioner in his apartment staying cool instead of sweating through his costume, leaning against good ol' Bruce.

Even in this sweltering heat, robbers, rapists, and your average all around bad guy were still out terrorizing people! At least there was no sign of the extremist baddies such as Rhino, Scorpion, Dr. Doom, or Boomerang out and about. Peter guessed even those guys didn't feel like playing in the heat. He knew he sure didn't feel like it and he didn't even have to lug a hundred-some pound horn on his head or wear a heavy metal face mask either. Yet, your average Joe bad guy didn't know when to take a break and call it quits for the day. And as if that wasn't bad enough he had to battle Mother Nature herself with people taking heat strokes and passing out. He had delivered five such victims to the hospital via Spidey Express this afternoon alone.

Peter pulled off the bottle of water he had webbed to his side before lifting his mask over the bridge of his nose. He took a drink from the bottle then he splashed some of the tepid water on his exposed face in a poor attempt to keep cool. "I don't know Bruce. Who is gonna save me when I need to be carted off to the hospital from heat stroke, huh?"

As if in answer, a blaze of fire streamed higher in the sky, past Peter's head and well out of his swinging range.

Peter chuckled, looking at Bruce. "Johnny Storm? Sure, show off… This temperature probably feels like winter in Anchorage to him." He smirked, pleased with his own joke. He sighed in relief at the sight of the fiery member of the Fantastic Four in any case. If they were out and about maybe it meant he could take a break from playing babysitter.

"Sorry for the short visit today Bruce, but even I can't do my brooding in this heat like you can. You win this round buddy, but just remember your life isn't nearly as messed up as mine." Peter replaced his mask. He stood up on the ledge of the building, prepping himself for the plunge. "See ya!" he saluted the statue faithfully and leapt into the air, plunging for the street.

He released a web strand, swinging himself towards home.

He had a new apartment in the city where his brooding could be comforted by the coolness of his AC. His place of residence was now more centrally located in the city. He had moved out of the apartment he had shared with Harry some months ago, no longer able to mooch off his best friend's charity. He now lived in a four room apartment the size of a shoebox which was barely affordable. His rent was rarely on time every month and his pay check from the Daily Bugle barely covered the rent, let alone left him with money to live on. And he was running out of excuses to give his landlord for his tardy payments.

It was a constant struggle and sometimes he felt defeated but it was better to stand on his own two feet than to live off his friend's over inflated wallet. Sure, he missed the cozy two floor apartment with lots of room to spare, but he was making it on his own and that gave him a sense of self worth and pride. It was almost comforting enough to counter the depression his living conditions provided.

Despite the lack of space in his new apartment, it offered everything he really needed: his bathroom shares the duty of also being his dark room to develop his photos when he isn't at the Bugle; his bedroom has an off the street balcony with no neighboring windows in sight to keep his identity safe when he sneaks off day or night; and his kitchen/living room is cockroach free- mostly.

With a sense of caution and his spidey sense to guide him he landed on the balcony of his bedroom looking around to make sure he remained unseen. He stepped into the bedroom quickly shedding his mask and tossing it to the floor.

"Ugh," he groaned, wiping the sweat from his brow. This suit was definitely going in the wash! He stripped out of the sweat-soaked spandex and tossed it into a ball where he threw his mask. He made a beeline for the bathroom, nearly tripping on empty film roll canisters discarded on the bathroom floor. He tugged down a line of drying photos that were tied to the shower railing. He needed to get under the water quickly.

The shower head poured water out quickly and Peter didn't waste a second to bask in its relief. He sighed as steam rolled off his shoulders when the cool water hit his flaming skin. He stuck his head under the cool liquid allowing it to drench him. He ran his hands through his thick brown hair and sighed once again. He closed his eyes as the water ran along his face.

He allowed the water to calm his body but his mind was running at full speed. That was the reason why he went to visit Bruce. It was his thinking spot. He pondered many a thought with that gargoyle. But the heat of the day drove him from his usual spot. However hot out it was his thoughts were un-yielded here in his apartment.

After the shower lost its calming effect on him he changed and stepped out into the cool living room. He walked over to the window, an ever watchful eye on the city sixteen stories below. The sun was retreating to make way for the moon; however, the heat lingered in the night.

The bustle below remained un-phased by the temperature. Cars rushed by honking and swerving up the block. Pedestrians power-walked or lolled on the sidewalks at their own leisure; some sported headphones or carried a backpack, some walked their dogs, and some talked to themselves.

Blinking lights flickered in a chasing pattern brightly over the sign for the theater located on the corner. They were advertising a two for one price on their cinematic features which were a collaboration of the low budget films floating near the bottom of the box office, some independent features and the major releases new this week- which, of course, were not part of their advertised bargain. Peter wondered when the last time he saw a movie was. He couldn't rightly recall.

Then he could no longer avoid the advertisement that bore down on him through his window's view. Every day he looked out that window. Every day held the same pattern: first the pedestrians and cars, then the theater, and finally the billboard.

Displayed on the billboard is Mary Jane Watson, coddling a bottle of Emma Rose perfume.

To make matters worse the billboard was enormous. So, every fleck of sparkling blue in her green eyes bore down on him. Her face alone was the size of Galactus. Her lips were pursed, glossy, and shimmering. Her strawberry red hair was swept up and away from her blemish-free face. She was gorgeous. Her eyes were killing him slowly. Every day he looked upon them he swore he could see the hatred, anger, and disappointment she must feel toward him. After all, he only scorned her love; he only turned his back on her and his own heart. He gave up everything he ever desired with her for her own safety. All she saw despite his sound reasoning was disloyalty and disrespect. His shoulders slumped and he forced himself away from the window.

He turned to the comfort of his living room, plopping onto the couch. He surveyed the textbooks stacked up on his coffee table. He did have some schoolwork in need of being done. He had signed up for some extra classes over the summer with Doctor Connor's as a way to keep his grades going. The extra classes were looked highly upon his scholarship lenders and he didn't have much left to do.

His eyes crossed the room to the blinking red light on his phone. The light displayed the number '3' which meant he had three messages. All were most likely from his Aunt May as no one else with the exception of possibly Harry, would even call him. He sighed frustrated with himself for not returning her messages recently. He was the worst nephew in the world. But then, he was also the worst best friend, the worst case for a boyfriend and… his eyes glanced at the newest Daily Bugle front page, the worst excuse for a super-hero there is apparently. He groaned, sinking into the couch. He hated these spells of depression and his usual solution of web slinging was out of the question due to the weather. He picked up a text book and thumbed through the required reading. Dr. Connors was already angry with him; no need to add the worst student to his already stellar list of accomplishments in the sucking department. He managed a decent grade point average despite his gallivanting around as Spider-Man. He only imagined his average would be near perfect if he concentrated at school as much as he should. His main concern was to keep his average high enough to keep his scholarships, as he was never going to be able to afford school without them.

His eyes went back to the blinking message light. He stared at it, wishing and hoping as he did every time the light flashed. He hoped one of those messages were from her. But it was ludicrous to hope so. She didn't even know he moved or what he was doing. She probably didn't even care. A sense of déjà vu crept over him, remembering what it was like when he'd do anything to get her attention. He had blown it over and over, losing out to guys like Flash and Harry. Some things did not change; he bet she had a million men beating down her door as usual, even more so in California. And he was alone.


	2. Chapter 2: Familiar Territory

Hello all! Here's Chapter 2. Things are moving smoothly and don't worry all you sequel readers, reunions are coming soon! ;) I'd like to hear everyone's opinions so there's this lil review button you can click and make my day! :) I also appreciate private messages if you don't want to review! Chapter 3 introduces the villain, but I'm wondering how many of you can guess who it is already? Hmm? Hope you all enjoy the chapter, its not much but the GOOD stuff is coming! lol Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Familiar Territory

Song: Journey to the Past, Aaliyah

_Heart, don't fail me now  
Courage, don't desert me  
Don't turn back  
Now that we're here  
People always say  
Life is full of choices  
No one ever mentions fear  
Or how a road can seem so long  
How the world can seem so vast  
Courage see me through  
Heart I'm trusting you  
On this journey...to the past_

_Somewhere down this road_  
_I know someone's waiting_  
_Years of dreams_  
_Just can't be wrong_  
_Arms will open wide_  
_I'll be safe and wanted_  
_Fin'lly home where I belong_  
_Well, starting here, my life begins_  
_Starting now, I'm learning fast_  
_Courage see me through_  
_Heart I'm trusting you_  
_On this journey...to the past_

_Heart don't fail me now_  
_Courage don't desert me_

_Home, Love, Family_  
_There was once a time_  
_I must have had them too_  
_Home, Love, Family_  
_I will never be complete_  
_Until I find you..._

_One step at a time_  
_One hope, then another_  
_Who knows where_  
_This road may go-_  
_Back to who I was_  
_On to find my future_  
_Things my heart still_  
_Needs to know_  
_Yes, let this be a sign_  
_Let, this road be mine_  
_Let it lead me to my past_  
_Courage see me through_  
_Heart I'm trusting you_  
_To bring me home..._  
_At last_  
_At last_

A sigh of relief escaped the red-headed actress as she walked off the set of her on-screen sister's home. MJ snatched a bottle of water off a nearby stand and popped the top open.

"MJ, phone call, line 6," a voice called amidst the madness of the set change.

MJ looked around but could not find the producer of the voice. She shrugged and set her water bottle down to pick up the receiver across the room. "MJ Watson," she spoke into the phone.

"Hey, MJ! It's Zoey," the familiar voice responded.

"Hey Zo, how's it going?" MJ smiled, happy to hear a friendly voice.

"It goes. How's Secret Hospital? Any new spoilers for me?" Zoey teased.

"As well as can be expected and no, I have no scoops for ya," MJ chuckled.

"Well, how would you feel if I had one for you?" Zoey hinted in a sing-song tone.

"Oh?" MJ's heart ceased despite her agent's playful tone. *Please don't tell me I've been re-casted…*

"How would you like to finally make a movie?" Zoey asked her voice filled with excitement.

MJ nearly dropped the phone in surprise. "Really?" She squeaked out.

"Truly!" Zoey replied simply. Then she let out a soft giggle.

"Well, of- of course!" MJ shouted enthusiastically. This was it! Her dreams were finally coming true!

"There are… a few conditions," Zoey sighed, dreading how the conversation would turn.

MJ's smile sunk into a frown. She didn't like the sound of that. "Like what?"

"It's low budget,"

"Doesn't matter," MJ replied, hardly concerned. Getting her name out there was just the start she needed.

"It's an action flick,"

"Cool, no problem," she had seen enough action in her life, what was more?

"It may require you to do a few of your own stunts,"

"Just call me Evil Knievel!" MJ laughed, wondering why her agent was so hesitant. "Zo, why are making this so difficult. Whatever it is, yes! I'll do it! This is my chance!"

"Oh, well, ok. In that case, it's filming in New York so-"

"Forget it," MJ interrupted sharply, her mind completely changed.

"Mary Jane!" Zoey whined.

"Nope, no way," MJ shook her head venomously.

"Oh, c'mon!" Zoey persisted, clicking her tongue with mild agitation.

"Sorry Zoey. I just can't." MJ worried her bottom lip. She was willing to do most anything to be in a movie, but returning to New York would be too hard.

"Sure you can!" she argued.

"I can't," MJ replied.

"Well, why the hell not?" Zoey questioned with her agitation uncloaked.

MJ continued to bite her lip in thought. Only one reason was on her mind. She could not face Peter. The chance of running in to him was too great. She wasn't sure she could take it and survive. She'd been so strong for so long now. Then another logical reason surfaced as if to support her childish fear. "I can't leave LA to film a movie. What about Secret Hospital?"

"It's already taken care of. You're going to be written off," Zoey responded matter-of-factly.

"What! Zoey! No!" MJ's anger boiled.

"Oh, c'mon! I never dreamed you'd say no, Mary Jane. You wanted big time right? You don't wanna stick with this mediocre drama fest!" Zoey defended her actions.

"I like it here," she responded weakly.

"Enough to turn down a chance to be on the big screen?"

"You said it was low budget," MJ reminded her.

"I did. It's still being decided whether or not it will open in theatres but there's a chance!"

"No," MJ answered stubbornly.

"You're being completely silly. A chance to film a movie is what you have been waiting for! I've been working for months to find you a part, hell years even. I even find a chance for you to visit family and this is the thanks I get!" Zoey complained.

"Sorry…"

"You'll take the part then?" Zoey's voice grew a tone higher.

"Boy, you are pushy!" MJ couldn't help but smile.

"MJ, this is your shot! The director has already made his mind up on you. You don't want to turn down your first movie role. That will give you a bad reputation!" she advised. "I could understand if the role was terrible but this could be a great starting point. There are plenty of stars that started out in low budget action flicks before hitting it big."

"How long is filming?" MJ sighed, knowing she was being broken down. Zoey was right after all, on all points.

"A few weeks, a couple months tops. You'll get to play a heroine too! It'll be awesome!" she coaxed.

MJ sighed again. "I don't know Zo…"

"Oh, read the script, you'll be happy! It's no Oscar nominee, but it's a start!"

"Action flick?" she made a face now. Come to think of it, the last thing she wanted to do was re-enact any action scenes. Well, perhaps it was better than a romance.

"Heroine role. The title is…" papers scattered. "Fatal Action."

"Oh dear…" MJ's stomach dropped.

"You'd be the star! Just think, posters, advertisements, soundtrack covers, t-shirts, who knows maybe even action figures!"

MJ snorted. She never pictured herself as an action figure. "Ok, ok, Zoey! I'll do it! But! I want discretion. I don't want anyone to know I'm coming home."

* * *

Peter stumbled out of bed as the pounding on his apartment door continued. He tripped over his scattered clothes tossed about the floor. He went shoulder first into the wall separating his rooms, cracking the plaster on impact.

He groaned, not from any pain, but from the damage done to his wall. "Great!" he heaved a sigh as the pounding on his door continued. It was 2:30 in the afternoon but he had finally found time for a nap after three straight days of patrolling and school work. Without surprise, he had just dozed off when the pounding of his door began.

He had no idea what it was about but it had better be good! He swung the door open quickly and his anger faded at the sight of his Aunt May. "Aunt May!"

"Oh, Peter! Thank God you answered! I was going to call but I just rushed right down here!" Aunt May stepped into the apartment immediately.

"Is everything ok?" Peter closed the door behind her. She didn't look frantic but what could be bothering her that she rushed from Queens to Manhattan to tell him?

"Well, yes… mostly…" May started once her nephew was facing her. "It's about Mary Jane, really."

Peter's heart jumped just from the sound of her name. "Wha- what about her?" he stuttered.

"Well, Dinah's dead…" May sighed with a displeased frown and a shake of her head.

Peter stared at her dumbfounded. Was Dinah MJ's pet or something? What? "Um…"

May sighed, rolling her eyes at the look of confusion on her nephew's face. "Oh, Peter…" her frowned turned to disappointment. "Dinah was the character Mary Jane played on Secret Hospital!" she informed with a tone of impatience.

Peter swallowed roughly, feeling as if his adam's apple was choking him. *Right. I should've remembered that. Damn.* "Oh… well, it is a soap opera Aunt May; don't things like that happen all the time? I'm sure it's fine." He wondered why she was so upset over this news. It didn't seem that bad…

"No, dear. She's been written off the show!" May sighed longingly, releasing some of her impatience with his lack of understanding. She should've have known he'd be defensive or aloof with this news. "I've been calling her for days with no answer. Today when I called it said her phone was disconnected!"

Finally, Peter frowned. It sounded like she was fired. Poor MJ… All alone in California… He shook his head to dispel his thoughts and cleared his throat. "I'm sure she's fine Aunt May. You're probably overreacting."

May carefully studied the boy who was a son to her. In her rush over here she forgot how sensitive the subject of Mary Jane was to Peter. She still did not understand what exactly happened between the two, but neither would relent, leaving her without any information or explanation. She knew Peter would be worried for Mary Jane, but he certainly wouldn't show it. "Well, maybe you're right, dear." She paused before attempting a smile that she hoped didn't appear to be placating. "I've only been trying for a few days. Maybe she got another role or she's out of town."

Peter smiled at her reasoning. "See. I'm sure she'll call you soon. She always does." He added trying to hide the bitterness of jealousy he felt. What he'd give to talk to her just once more! But all the things he thought he would say always changed, battling back and forth in his mind as it did within his heart. There were moments he imagined pulling her into his arms and professing his love and sorrow for all his mistakes. Then there were moments where he knew he had no right to ask forgiveness and moments where he stuck to his guns and knew he would continue to keep her pushed away. Then the vicious cycle started all over again. His eyes fell on Aunt May who was watching him with interest. He blinked, chasing away those thoughts. He changed the subject. "Since you're here, why don't you stay awhile and we can catch up?"

May gave him a tender smile. "I would like that very much. My air conditioner doesn't seem to be working so it would be nice to cool off. This heat wave doesn't seem to end. It's been a week now!"

Peter frowned with guilt as he made his way to the kitchen to get her an iced tea. One of her messages the other day mentioned as much. "Yeah…" he paused, pouring the iced tea into a glass. "Sorry about that Aunt May. I am going to come over as soon as I can to look at it for you." He flinched at his own tone, knowing how guilt ridden he sounded.

"Pish-posh dear. Whenever you have time," May waved it off with a hand. "I know you're busy."

Peter handed her the glass. "I'll be over before the weekend. It doesn't seem this heat wave is going to end any time soon. You can't be without your AC." He hated himself all the more because his aunt would always accept any excuse he gave her. She was too good to him.

May coddled the glass in her hand before taking a sip. "Yes, the weather man said it was just going to keep on going right through till next week at least. It's almost unnatural."

Peter agreed with that. He had wondered once or twice what diabolical maniac was up to something, playing with the weather and trying to melt New York City. It seemed preposterous, but then so did a guy in his 20's who could spin webs and climb buildings fighting crime. "Yeah, it is." He replied, looking out the window of his apartment distractedly.

His eyes fell on their usual target. He began to worry about MJ himself now despite how he tried not to. There was no stopping his mind from always going back to her. It was impossible. It was unlike her to not keep in touch with his aunt. Aunt May wondered and had questioned him a few times about why he didn't watch MJ on her soap opera. He had seen her a few times after she left New York. The separation from her was too much to bear and he was drawn to seeing her on TV just to see her. It was therapeutic to see her and know she was safe, to know he wasn't putting her in danger. It was killing him. He had to stop or he would never find a way to recover from the absence of her in his life. Little did it matter- the absence in his heart was something he still felt every day. If only Aunt May knew how much it hurt him… If only he could talk to someone… sans Bruce.

Besides, who needs to see her on TV every day… he had his own Galactus-sized billboard of torture to torment his every thought.

* * *

Mary Jane rubbed at her eyes and blew out an exasperated breath. She shook her head in a mix of disbelief and disagreement as her eyes fell on the Fatal Action script. "I am really beginning to think this was a bad idea, Zo…"

Zoey rolled her eyes at her friend's hesitation. "Oh, come on! I get that it's not exactly Titanic or Mission Impossible but it's not that bad."

"Why again was the producer so set on me?" MJ questioned suspiciously as she flipped the pages of the script.

Zoey bit on her lip, silent for a moment before answering. "He said you were the 'right kind of look' for the part." She huffed with air qoutes when MJ raised a red eyebrow at her. "Will you stop being so pessimistic? You got a main role in a movie, MJ. Most aspiring actors don't get a major role in their first movie."

She sighed, offering an apologetic smile. "You're right. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. It's just confusing because of that reason as much as it is wonderful."

"Willy was adamant about you. So stop wondering why and take advantage," Zoey advised. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth and all that… eh?"

MJ nodded, eyes distractedly falling on the curtains of her hotel window. "When do we start?" she asked, drawn to the window like a train on the tracks.

"That's the spirit!" Zoey cheered. "You meet with Vincent Childs tomorrow; he's the director. I think they want to start right away. They have a short window of time because of the small budget."

"The sooner the better," MJ responded with a drawling sigh as her eyes scanned the Manhattan skyline view from her hotel window. She'd been in town for a few days now but hadn't ventured out of the hotel more than necessary.

Zoey eyed her with care. "You still eager to get out of New York so fast? You've been in town for three days now. I assumed you may have worked out whatever your reasons were for suddenly hating home."

Mary Jane gave her a silencing look. She glared hard and didn't relent even as Zoey raised her hands in surrender. "Home is Santa Monica now."

Zoey shrugged. "It may not be."

"Why not?" MJ frowned, not liking Zoey's leading tone. "What do you know?"

Zoey frowned in return. "MJ, you've been written off Secret Hospital. I'm not sure there's a chance for you to go back. Your contract was up at the end of the summer anyway. Are you really going to go back to Santa Monica if there's no job to go back to?"

"Well, it's still California. Hollywood, hello, Zo! If I start making movies I kind of need to be at the heart of it," MJ wrote off her concern. California was her home now, plain and simple.

"There are plenty of New York based directors, too," Zoey informed nonchalantly. "Plus, I hate travelling back and forth. And… it's nice to have a friend close to home again."

MJ let go some of her irritation and gave her a genuine smile. While Zoey was her agent, she was also a good friend- one of the only friends she had left for that matter. She was happy to be closer to her but it wasn't enough to get her to want to stay. She couldn't explain it to her either- not fully. All Zoey knew was that MJ had difficulties in New York and had been eager to leave once she'd screwed up the courage to do so. She couldn't regret the decision to leave and she wanted to leave all the heartache and sorrow behind as well- like it was possible. As much as she trusted Zoey, she wasn't prepared to unload her heartache on anyone. Talking about it made it real and she'd gotten along just fine the past 7 months pretending it hadn't ended the way it did. In her foolish world, her heart was just fine.

Just fine.


	3. Chapter 3: Villain Alert

**Hello! Here's chapter 3! I see no one guessed about the villain :( sadness... Well... if y'all haven't figured it out after this chapter then you might be in trouble when it comes to Spidey-verse! ;) I'll keep the updates coming as I can- 2 more weeks of school before I get a 3 week break and then I can get more writing done. It seems there isn't as much insterest in the sequel as there was the first story, which is making it hard to keep positive about updating but it is only the 3rd chapter, so I guess we'll see! :) Enjoy and review, please! :) Pretty please? Thanks! **

Chapter 3: Villain Alert

Song: The Memory, Mayday Parade

_She is everywhere I go  
Everyone I see  
Winter's gone and I still can't sleep  
Summer's on the way  
At least that's what they say  
But these clouds won't leave_

Walk away  
Barely breathing  
As I'm lying on the floor  
Take my heart  
As you're leaving  
I don't need it anymore

This is the memory  
This is the curse of having  
Too much time to think about it  
It's killing me  
This is the last time  
This is my forgiveness  
This is endless

Now spring has brought the rain  
But I still see your face  
And I cannot escape the past  
Creeping up inside  
Reminding me that I  
Can never bring you back

This is the memory  
This is the curse of having  
Too much time to think about it  
It's killing me  
This is the last time  
This is my forgiveness  
This is endless

This is endless

_[3x]__  
Someone help me  
'Cause the memory  
Convinced itself to tear me apart  
And it's gonna succeed before long_

This is the memory  
This is the curse of having  
Too much time to think about it  
It's killing me  
This is the last time  
This is my forgiveness  
This is endless  
This is endless

Someone help me  
'Cause the memory  
Convinced itself to tear me apart  
And it's gonna succeed before long  
(This is endless)

She is everywhere I go  
Everyone I see  
But these clouds won't leave

MJ felt relieved when Zoey showed up to the set. It was a few days into the initial shooting of the movie and she noticed that the crew's behavior around her seemed quite peculiar. It wasn't that the crew was unfriendly, but she felt that they all looked at her strangely. The first day she chocked it up to wondering how a no-name actress got the main role; however, she soon realized there were no other actors working on the movie that she'd ever heard of. On the second day, she wondered if she was doing something wrong or not acting appropriately. Her nerves were in high gear and maybe she was performing subpar or acting unprofessional in some movie-making way. Yet, everyone had been nice and respectful to her when they spoke. It wasn't as if they treated her like she was incompetent, it was just… the way their eyes watched her between scenes and when the cameras weren't rolling that pegged her as odd. Five days into the shooting now and she could still feel eyes on her and whispers behind her back. It was unnerving. She'd asked Vincent about it but he wrote it off as nerves. He responded saying something about how she was paying too much mind to everyone else rather than concentrating on her character.

Something just wasn't right… MJ had a sixth sense for this stuff. After all, how many times did you have to be captured by super villains or nearly mugged to grasp a sense of unease around you?

"How's my girl?" Zo greeted cheerfully as she shuffled into the trailer where MJ was taking her break in between shots.

MJ pulled her in quickly while looking around the set for prying eyes. She found a few people look at her with startled expressions, most likely from being caught watching, before she slammed the door shut. She spun around sharply and saw a stunned Zoey watching her. "Zo, what the hell is going on around here?" she huffed, hands on her hips defensively.

"Huh?" she knitted her brow in confusion.

"Everyone keeps looking at me with the weirdest expressions. I don't get it!" MJ nearly whined, her arms flailing out in frustration. "What did I do?"

"Looking at you strangely…" Zo repeated slowly, hanging on each syllable with an edge of disbelief in her tone.

"Yes!" MJ hissed, waving an arm at the window of the trailer to the people mulling about outside. "They all look at me like I don't belong here or they can't believe I got the part. It's ridiculous! Vincent told me I was overreacting so don't you tell me that, too. I want to know what the problem is!"

Zoey snorted, shaking her head. "I have no idea what you're talking about, love."

MJ stomped her foot in childish frustration and huffed a sigh. "Well why does everyone keep watching me so closely?"

"I think you're paranoid. This is your first movie set. Perhaps you're misinterpreting what's going on!" Zoey suggested simply with a shrug.

"Ugh!" MJ grunted in disgust, dispelling some of her confused agitation. "I'm not crazy, Zo…"

"I didn't say you were, love. Listen, just relax, ok? Forget that stuff! Tell me how the movie is coming along?" Zoey waved her hands in a gesture to be taken as warding away MJ's conversation.

MJ sighed in defeat and changed topic. "It's going good I think." She paused to think about her first few days on the set and allowed herself to smile. Despite the low budget, and the strangeness of the fellow cast and crew, it still felt like a dream come true to be on the set. She was finally doing it; her dreams were finally happening! Well… almost all of them. Rather than dwell on those thoughts she continued relaying information to Zo. "There's a lot of on the fly scenes, ya know… Vincent is always changing his mind about how a scene runs and there's a lot of reshoots with improv. I like it because it lets me explore my range. I just hate coming in to script changes every morning. But, at least I'm used to it from the soap."

Zoey nodded with a proud smile. "That sounds great, MJ! I'm sure this is just the beginning for you. If you want to stick around New York longer I can put some feelers out for anything else filming in the area."

MJ gave Zoey the traditional glare.

"Ok, ok…" Zoey laughed at the expected reaction. "How 'bout you at least join me for a drink after the last shot tonight?"

"What about Garrett?" MJ lifted a brow at her offer. "Don't you have plans?"

Zoey whimpered then growled. "No, we're SO over."

"Oh, geez…" MJ frowned. "I'm sorry, Zo. I know you really loved him."

She snorted and waved her off. "Nah. Love isn't real anyway. Nothing lasts forever."

MJ snorted now. She couldn't' agree more. "Tell me 'bout it."

Hours later, MJ walked off the set with a tired sigh. It had been a long day. The last scene they shot had over twenty takes and she was mentally spent. She ran a hand through her hair, shaking loose her ponytail. She dropped her hair tie and bent down swiftly to get it. When she righted herself to keep walking, she nearly collided with a broad chest. She gasped in shock and jumped back.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," a rumble of a deep voice curtly apologized.

MJ looked up and found she was staring eye level at the broad chest. She raised her eyes a foot higher to finally find a face. It was the face of a man. He had a large, square face with dark eyebrows despite that his long hair was pale blonde and pulled back in a short ponytail at the base of his thick neck. His nose was crooked, as if it had been broken before and his eyes were dark gray, like steel or gun metal. MJ shivered at the sight of him even though he was smiling. He was large, like a football player and they were all alone…

"You're Mary Jane, right?" his voice sounded like thunder being contained, rumbling on the verge of raspy but naturally husky.

MJ raised her eyebrows in surprise and swallowed cautiously. How did he know her? "Yes." She squeaked out.

"I don't think we've met yet," his smile didn't waiver as his eyes roved her face. "I'm the special effects guy. I'm in charge of all the stunts and action scenes."

"Oh… Oh!" MJ relaxed slightly. "Sorry! No, we haven't met yet."

"Well, now we have," he showed a toothy grin.

MJ let out a soft, polite chuckle. He appeared to be a few years older than her. There were lines in his face when he smiled and his smile was too big, too wide to be endearing. He almost reminded her of a beefed up jackal. She was just thankful he wasn't a mugger or worse. There was no superhero stalker around to save her from trouble this time. "Yes… well… I guess it's about time, right? We'll be filming some intense scenes in the next few days or so I'm told."

"That's right. Just a few car chases, an explosion or two… I think there's even a helicopter scene if Vinny and Willy can fit it into the budget," his smile still hadn't lessened and there was a flash of light in his eyes as he continued boring them down on her.

She cleared her throat, nervous under his heavy gaze. "Sound's exciting…" she whispered.

"Oh, it will be. And don't worry. I've got it all under control," he winked at her.

His wink was anything but reassuring. Despite this, he did seem nice enough and he was trying to be friendly- friendlier than any of the other crew members had been. While he watched her intently, it didn't hold the same meaning as the way everyone else on set watched her. She nodded and gave him a shy smile. "Great, thanks." She fidgeted as his linebacker form (larger than Flash even) blocked her way. "Well, I'm running a bit late meeting a friend. It was nice to meet you…" she trailed off as he stepped out of her way. She walked past him but turned back awaiting him to inform her of his name.

"Beck… Quentin," he nodded formally, tightly as his body seemed stiff and unyielding under the mass of muscles. "Goodnight."

"Night," she gave a quick wave and darted off to meet Zoey. She breathed a sigh of relief after a few minutes, not realizing how tense she had been the whole time.

* * *

The night was significantly cooler- if one considered 80 degrees cool. The heat wave continued on and Peter was really beginning to believe there was a villain behind the weather. It was unnatural how unrelenting the heat had been. If he could concentrate hard enough he might be able to think of a few possibilities on who could be responsible for the weather. There was that one girl he'd heard of; a member of the X-Men, but that didn't make much sense. He would have to chock it up to Mother Nature at this time because the weather wasn't the first thing on Peter's mind.

He couldn't stop thinking of MJ. Ok, right, how was _that _different?

The difference was he wasn't thinking of her in respect to how he'd hurt her. He was thinking with concern to her present state. Where was she? What really happened? It had been a week since Aunt May told him she was no long on the soap. She still hadn't heard from MJ and it was very much unlike her to just disappear. Aunt May had said even MJ's mom and her Aunt Anna hadn't heard from her in months. Last they knew she was doing well in Santa Monica, working on the soap. It had been more than a week since her character was killed off and there'd been no word from her. Aunt May had called Peter earlier in the night with a frightened edge to her tone, explaining she had a bad feeling- a bad feeling that had spread to Peter now, too. He tried to believe she was overreacting but he couldn't shake the worry from his gut.

He sighed heavily as he web-slung around a corner and dove low to the empty city streets. He leapt across the quiet, nearly carless street and landed a top a bus shelter. He paused in his web slinging to mull over his worry. He couldn't do anything about it, not really. What was he going to do? He couldn't call her; Aunt May said her phone was disconnected. He couldn't afford a plane ticket to Santa Monica, so he couldn't physically check on her.

Although… He wondered if he could find a way to get Jameson to fund his little trip. But how? He could tell the newspaper editor and owner that he got a tip Spidey was headed for LA… maybe to chase down a villain. But why LA? Whatever he came up with, he knew Robbie would back his story. Robbie Robertson had an uncanny ability to understand him. He was beginning to question just how much his friend knew about Spider-Man. He'd have to think this through more if it was going to work.

He snorted, picturing himself showing up on MJ's door in LA. "Like she'd even let you in the door…" he muttered aloud. He'd worry about getting MJ to let him in again after. He had to know she was ok. It was the only thing that got him by all these months. Knowing she was safe and doing something she loved was the only saving grace to keep him going. He'd known despite the heart ache it caused that he'd made the right decision. But now, he didn't know she was safe. She could be in trouble. And there was no one to look out for her. He had a responsibility to make sure she was ok- a responsibility he took to heart. He'd let hard feelings get in the way before with Uncle Ben and now he was gone forever. He wasn't going to let his pride be the cause of losing anyone else again! If MJ didn't show up…

His neck tingled in shocks that spread to his whole body and he gasped. Spider sense!

A loud boom resonated through the night air and he felt a whoosh of energy rumble as a blast rocked the bus shelter. He leapt up in the air and flipped away as the bus shelter shattered, the glass crackling as the whole support gave way and crumbled to the ground. Even the sidewalk had blown apart, leaving chunks of cement and asphalt everywhere. It looked as if a meteor had crashed right into the bus shelter.

Spider-Man landed a top a parked van, gaping at the destruction he'd narrowly escaped. His eyes inspected the rubble, noting the path of impact and his eyes shot up to the skyline of buildings to the sky. Was it a meteor? He groaned. The last thing he needed was to witness a new hero, or a villain, arrive from a far off planet by way of a meteor or mini spaceship. It was creepy! When his eyes found nothing his spider sense warned him away and another blast filled the night air and a blue light engulfed the van underneath him as he scurried away on a web strand. Whatever or whoever it was, he had to draw him away from the city before he leveled the whole block! "Ok, flashy, come on out!" he goaded, slinging down the street.

"That's Shocker, webhead!" A growl announced behind him.

His spider sense tingled again and he heard another electronic blast sound behind him. Before he could react the blue flash blasted through his webbing and he careened down nearly crashing onto the street. He tucked and rolled on impact and righted himself on all fours to turn and face the person behind him. His head cocked to the side and he let out a moan of confusion at the sight. "Huh?"

Down the street stood a man, in a bright yellow suit with black lines forming a quilted patch over the suit and a mask covering his whole head. The suit was accented with two red stripes resembling a vest over the man's chest and a red stripe over the full face hood. He wore knee high red boots and both his arms were covered with metal gauntlets from elbow to palms. Spidey snickered loudly and sighed. A new goon to play with! "Yes, shocking indeed. Nice boots! Did ya steal them from Superman?" Spidey mocked.

"I see your poor sense of humor is still in place, Spider-Man. It's going to be so rewarding blasting that loud mouth of yours permanently shut!" Shocker returned Spidey's mocking tone.

"Oooh," Spidey cooed in playful fear. "So, you're not a fan of my sharp-witted quips? That's probably because you don't understand them!"

"I vowed I'd put an end to you, webhead. And so I will!" Shocker snarled, raising his gauntlets out toward Spider-Man.

Spidey waited but the shock from his spider sense didn't come. He stood up straight, eyebrows under mask raised. "So, we've met before? And you'd think I'd remember your flare for fashion! In fact, I'm sure it would have left me with an impression…" he ticked his finger across his chin as he shifted his weight to one foot, pretending to think hard about who this goon could be.

"I'm gonna leave you with an impression alright- a spider shaped impression in the street when I blast you through it!" Shocker fired his gauntlets.

Spidey reacted with an unnatural speed and ducked the blast but still felt the waves of the shock pass by him. He was knocked backwards from the force. He coughed, the wind knocked out of his lungs. What the hell were those gauntlets Shocker wore? It was as if the air itself had become compressed, like a shockwave. Peter's scientific mind sped into overdrive contemplating the possibilities. The high-pressure vibrated an intense frequency, which was perhaps the cause of the blast. Who was smart enough to make such gauntlets? He jumped to his feet and glared at the Shocker guy. "Forgive me for not remembering you. You see, it's almost every day some lame bad guy vows to put an end to me before I end him."

Shocker growled to show his agitation and the slots of white over his eyes almost seemed to narrow as if he was glaring. "When I'm through with you, you'll never forget the name Herman Schultz again!"

Spidey burst into riotous laughter. He clutched his abdomen as he doubled over for emphasis. "Herman? Is that you?" he continued to laugh, smacking his knees for emphasis before he let out an amused sigh. "I have to applaud you, I really do! When did you get out of jail and how did you pay someone smart enough to make those snazzy blasters you got there?"

"I made them, you imbecile!" Shocker sent a single-armed blast down the street but Spidey easily dodged it this time.

"No way! You're not that smart, are you? I mean… if you were that smart than why couldn't you rob a bank? You were really lousy at that… Did they have an electronics class in prison? You really should thank the system then; I'd never imagine you to be capable of anything like this!"

"My gauntlets will put an end to you, wallcrawler! I'm gonna blast you into oblivion!" Shocker threatened.

"Well, you keep on missing…" Spidey tsked with a shrug. "All you've managed to do is make a falling apart street in the lower east side… fall apart more. A true accomplishment; however, I don't think our hard working construction workers will appreciate the clean up duty."

"I won't miss again!" he shouted, sending off multiple blasts at Spider-Man.

He danced and flipped around each blast, snapping out a web strand as Shocker kept firing blindly down the street in rage. He swung the distance separating them and plowed feet first into his chest, knocking the yellow suited villain down. Spidey disconnected from the web strand and landed on his feet despite the pain that shot through him from the impact with Shocker. He bent down to grab Shocker. He landed a punch on the masked man's jaw but the vibration from the impact knocked Spidey away.

"You can't touch me! My foam-lined synthetic suit absorbs all vibrations and impact, Spider-Man! I'm untouchable!" he cackled in true villain form.

Spidey rolled his eyes under his mask as he hopped back onto his feet before dodging a few more blasts. He frowned seeing the destruction around him. Three more cars were demolished and smoking, threatening to catch on fire. There were craters that rivaled New York City's worst potholes in the street and a few building's cornerstones had started to crumple bricks from Shocker's blows. He had to put an end to this! "I think that's because of the smell, Shocky, not the suit!"

As expected, this enraged Schultz again and he began blasting away.

Spidey was able to detect how he made the gauntlets fire as he blasted away furiously. He noticed that Herman made fists at the end of the gauntlets suggesting they were triggered. There must be some sort of button mechanism in the palms. He fired two giant blasts of sticky webbing at Shocker and nailed both his hands. He couldn't help but snicker as Shocker growled in annoyance. "Hey, you've got Mickey Mouse hands!" Spidey teased as the webbing formed two globs over his large hands.

Shocker cried out in rage and tried to blast away the webbing. It made him cringe and he fell back as the suit was unable to absorb the entire blast thanks to the webbing. He moaned in pain as he lay sprawled out on the destroyed street.

Sirens sounded in the not far distance and Spidey knew he didn't have much time. He sighed. He'd been so distracted by thinking of MJ that it almost cost him his life and it cost him a photo opportunity now, too. There was no way he could stick around long enough to get a good shot of the goon, Herman, aka Shocker. Spidey sprayed a sheet of webbing, trapping him to the ground. "Nice try, Herman. I do remember telling you no hard feelings about canceling our plans, so keep that in mind, okay? I think we're done here. It was _shocking_ to see you!" Spidey mock saluted the struggling villain. He lifted a hand and shot out a strand of webbing, slinging away before the cops could get there.

Shocker rocked back and forth against the webbing trapping him to the ground. He groaned and braced himself as he blasted his gauntlets. He managed to work his hands free and used the gauntlets to blast off the remaining webbing. He allowed himself a snicker of victory. "Until next time, wallcrawler!" he ground out through gritted teeth, struggling to his feet. He took off in the opposite direction of the sirens and escaped into the night.


	4. Chapter 4: Playing the Part

**Hello all! Sorry it took so long for an update. I was suffering a dry spell in creativity over my school break. Of course, now that my next class starts today my muse decided to return. Ain't that always the way? lol Anyway, enough of my poor excuses (would you believe it better if I said the Amazing Spider-Man movie ruined my creative flow?), here's the next chappie. THANK YOU to those who have reviewed! It was your interest that pushed me to concentrate! I also appreciate all the adds for fave story and author alerts; would y'all mind leaving a small review every once in awhile, too? I adore comments and I love questions/concerns even more! The next chapter is the one you Peter/MJ people have been waiting for! Well, maybe not so much... muhaha :P **

**A quick response to those who have reviewed with the ability for me to respond beyond saying thanks- skip ahead to get to the chapter if you're not interested in the review back-and-forth commentary- thank you!**

**Emily- I understand what you're suggesting about MJ seeming to feel better off without Peter- I've tried to balance it out to show she isn't- hence the first chapter opening; however this chapter might add a little enlightenment to why she's putting up a strong front. Thanks for the insight and suggestion into how you've read the story's emotions so far!**

**Marmite Jones- *g* He's just my FAVE villain and I've wanted to use him in a story for forever! I thought this would be perfect. I hope I do him justice ;) **

**LoveStory87- Thanks for the praise! A reunion is just around the corner *cough* next chapter *cough* ;) **

* * *

Chapter 4: Playing the Part

Song: A Song About Love, Lee DeWyze

_I used to make you cry  
But I haven't smiled since you left  
Can you undo goodbye  
It's a word I wish I could forget_

_You told me you love me  
And I try to move on  
But it's hard to get up when you fall  
So I wrote a song about love  
But it's nothing at all_

_It was you who took the blame_  
_even though we both knew who was wrong_  
_I'm calling out your name_  
_every time that I'm singing this song_  
_Cause it's over_  
_Yeah, it's over_

_You told me you love me_  
_And I try to move on_  
_But it's hard to get up when you fall_  
_So I wrote a song about love_  
_But it's nothing at all_

_You told me you love me_  
_But it's time to move on_  
_It's so hard to get up when you fall_  
_So I wrote a song about love_  
_But it's nothing at all_  
_Cause it's over._  
_Yeah, it's over._

_You told me you love me_  
_And I try to move on._  
_It's so hard to get up when you fall_  
_So I wrote a song about love_  
_And it's sad cause it won't be enough_  
_So I wrote a song about love_  
_but it's nothing at all_

* * *

"I will not… give you any information. I would sooner die than betray him. That's the difference between the good guys and the bad guys, don't you see?" MJ heaved hard, heavy breaths, wincing in pain. "I guess you can't see that…It's not in you. You need a soul to comprehend that you heartless bastard." She turned her head away, breaking eye contact. "I can't even look at you, it sickens me…" she whispered through gritted teeth, eyes closing.

She paused a moment before she brandished a pistol. "Now… step back before I blow your head clean off. We're done here."

An unexpected pounding made her jump and she spun around to look in the direction of the interruption.

MJ groaned in annoyance, smacking the prop pistol down on top of her highlighted script. She stomped over to the trailer door and swung it open, ready to give the person on the other side hell for interrupting the rehearsal of her 'big' scene. She held her tongue when she realized it was Willy Marks on the other side. "Willy… hey,"

"Good afternoon Mary Jane," he smiled tightly, but polite. "Sorry to interrupt."

"Oh no, no problem. Come in?" she stepped away to let him in her trailer.

"Thanks," Willy stepped up and in. "How are you?"

"Oh, good, ya know… rehearsing as much as I can in between shots," MJ chuckled a bit nervously. She had a tense feeling at the sight of her visitor. He had never come to her trailer before and had only ever been around when things weren't going as planned. She swallowed nervously, a dreaded feeling creeping over her skin. Was she in trouble? "What can I do for you?" she asked, trying to keep a calm tone.

"You're probably wondering why I dropped by. Well… there have been some changes…" he started.

MJ sunk, her stomach flopping so badly that she put a hand over it in a useless attempt to calm it down. She braced herself for the bad news that she had been cut from the cast.

Willy's right hand lifted up, holding a script. "We've decided to make a few changes with the script. Well… one big change really."

MJ closed her eyes, letting out a long breath. This was it…

"Vincent and I have decided that Emma Steel is no longer playing a big heroine role in the film," Willy announced.

MJ grit her teeth as the waves of nausea rolled over her. She was screwed! "O…ok…" she stuttered.

"Mary Jane, are you all right? You look pale," Willy tilted his head in concern.

She appreciated the show of concern, whether an act or genuine. Willy was a straight forward, sans emotion type of guy and she had not expected him to try to let her down easy. She could barely manage a nod.

"Look, I know the part is smaller and not what you signed on for, but you're still going to have a few scenes. You're just the damsel in distress instead of the sidekick to the hero now," Willy set down the script. "Things like this happen all the time. If you're not comfortable with the script change…"

MJ's eyes shot open. "You mean I'm not being fired?"

"What? No!" Willy huffed, emitting a small laugh. "You're the perfect person to play Emma. I've told you this before. It's just that the market for a female hero is not as large as that of the male hero. We're going to make Dieter's character, Mal, fly solo. You're going to be kidnapped and held hostage starting from the scenes on page 56. From that point on you'll have small sequences while Mal attempts to rescue you."

MJ's mouth dropped open and she gaped at Willy. "What? So you're telling me I can't play the sidekick hero as Mal's partner? Now I'm the one in need of rescuing instead of taking down the bad guys with him?"

"Well," Willy rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. "Yes, that about covers it. The concept tested well in comparison to a male/female team of cops taking out the drug cartel."

"Willy! That's totally unfair!" MJ crossed her arms. "Was this my fault? I'm really trying to get the fighting scenes down. I even took a self defense class back in LA. I can handle it!"

Willy raised his arms, halting her rant. "Sorry Mary Jane. It had nothing to do with that, really. Look, I know this is your first movie but, that's the breaks kid. Look over the new script and see the changes we've made. We've got another week added into the budget to accommodate the changes. In the mean time, you're on set in a half hour for the rooftop scene. That part hasn't changed. Emma gets to take a few guys out before she's finally kidnapped in the car chase scene. So chin up, eh? I'll tell Vincent you've been made aware of the new script," he walked past her to get to the trailer door. "It's no offense to you, kid, but Dieter Lawford is a well known action star. His last movie is all the buzz right now and we just hadda go in this direction. See ya on set, ok?" he shut the door, not waiting for her response.

MJ shook her head in despair and stomped over to the script, picking it up and flipping through all the bolded changes until page 56 where everything was different. She seethed in anger, grinding her teeth as her forehead crinkled with agitation. Every page she flipped of her scenes required her to be a simpering, helpless woman! The scene she had just been rehearsing now had her tied to a chair, bleeding and crying rather than retaliating and escaping the main bad guy's clutches. She rolled her eyes and tossed the script across the room with a growl.

She was tempted to walk off, just quit. This was just so unfair, not right! But if she did… then what? There was no job to go back to, no income earned. Her reputation would be ruined and she'd never work a movie again. She was helpless... A feeling she loathed with every single thread of her veins, every pound of her heartbeat.

Her eyes caught the mirror she was standing in front of and she witnessed her shoulders bob up and down with defeated rage. All her life she was the damsel in distress, always depending on someone to rescue her. Or when things got too tough it found her succumbing to defeat, putting on a careless attitude, pretending never to feel any emotions that weren't lighthearted or carefree; the party girl without a worry in the world act. She was determined never to feel that way again. That was why she took self defense classes in LA. That was why she cried her heart out until the tears had finally run dry. She was steel now, unbreakable. She knew how to take care of herself! She didn't need anyone! Putting herself into this role was going to mentally strip away all the hard work she'd done. Just to feel that… helpless and victimized again, even acting it out, was going to destroy all the changes she had made for herself.

She clutched the end of the vanity table top and rested her head against the cool glass of the mirror as tears streamed down her face. She was tired of being the helpless victim, tired of being the one in need of rescue. She was strong and brave! She didn't need anyone to save her! Never again! But it seemed she was destined to play the part of the victim always.

* * *

Walking into the Bugle always presented the same brand of mayhem with a new set of content, the driving force to create said mayhem. Today it was a mix of tracking the presidential race, the status of the stock market, the stupidity (and clearly it was stupid) of the new traffic light on Queens Blvd., and of course, the mysterious craters of destruction found on Stanton Street from Spidey's run-in with the Shocker. Peter sighed with agitation for not being able to photograph Shocker. His sigh grew more meaningful as Betty and Ben explained that there was no reasonable explanation for the destruction, aside from some webbing left behind clearly pinpointing to none other than… yup- Spider-Man. Shocker must have escaped before the police arrived. So, crazy Herman and his science project/quilting hobby of a costume were still on the loose. Great…

"Yeah, Jonah is having a field day with this one," Ben snorted with a shake of his head. "You better have gotten some pics of this, Pete."

Peter sighed again, this time because his alter ego was once again being blamed for something that he didn't cause. "No, Ben. I didn't…"

Betty winced. "Maybe you should skedaddle before grumpy sees you then."

"Well…" Peter couldn't believe his luck- well, he should by now considering the streak of horrible luck destined to be his. "I kinda came here to talk to him about… something."

And in answer to his continuing bad luck, the door to Jameson's office flung open so hard it bounced against the wall. Jameson's eyes immediately met Peter's and his mouth was storming a tirade of demands before Peter could even manage a blink.

"Parker! Where are my pictures of Spider-Man destroying the East Village?" Jameson stalked across the room in a few steps, workers parting the way in such a fashion that it reminded Peter of a poor rendition of Moses parting the Red Sea.

"I… uh… don't have any, Mr. Jameson. I don't think Spider-Man was even in the East Village last night…" Peter squeaked out. No matter how many villains he faced, JJ always intimidated him- something he still couldn't comprehend. He'd faced some of the scariest, i.e. Green Goblin and Widow Maker to the weirdest, er… wasn't there a guy who could make cyclones, and there was that Boomerang fellow… yet ol' buzz-head still made him skittish.

"What?" Jonah's voice rumbled over the chaos in the newsroom. As usual, everyone stopped for just a moment to cringe in the wake of Jonah's brusqueness before jumping right back to work, part in fear of being caught watching, part used to the buzz-haired man's tirades. "You better be joking Parker or I'm going to-"

"Jonah!" Robbie Robertson voice emerged from Jonah's office, showing disapproval for the way JJ approached Peter. "Don't you think we should talk in the office?"

Peter said a silent prayer of thanks for Robbie, who was the equivalent to Jonah's conscience angel on his shoulder, if Jonah had a conscience at all. He saw the immediate change in JJ's demeanor before his harsh look returned and he merely pointed to office door where Robbie waited. Peter moved instantly, rushing for the safety of Robbie's presence.

Jonah made quick work of slamming the door to the office shut before stalking to his desk and searching his top drawer.

Peter waited silently knowing to apologize again would do no good.

"So if the wallcrawler wasn't in the East Village last night, Parker, where was he? And how did his webbing get there, hmm? Do you have pictures or not?" Jonah plopped into his chair, brandishing a cigar. He clipped it and stared at Peter expectantly.

"No, I don't, Mr. Jameson." He replied simply.

"Come on, Jonah! You read the police report. The damage done show signs of some form of weapon used. There were burn marks. Spider-Man doesn't use a weapon!" Robbie almost groaned in annoyance.

"Irrelevant, Robbie! I know the wallcrawler was there and Parker doesn't know where he was! There are no pictures to prove otherwise!" Jonah lit his cigar.

"Well, that's the thing sir…" Peter started, mustering some of his superhero courage to continue. "I heard that Spider-Man may be out of town…"

Jonah choked on the puff he took from the cigar. His eyes widened largely and in between gasps and coughs he managed to shout, "What?"

Robbie's own eyes widened and then narrowed watching Peter closely.

Peter noted Robbie's suspicious look and once again mused about how much the man knew about Spider-Man. Unlike, JJ he defended Spider-Man on the regular and stuck up for Peter on many occasions. Robbie always had this ability to make Peter squirm with indecision about how quickly he defended them both and watched Peter with eyes that he swore looked right through him, as if he knew everything. He redirected his eyes back to Jonah and decided to plunge in before it was too late. "I'd like to check it out. I heard he was headed to LA."

"Headed to LA? Who the hell told you this, Parker?" Jonah returned to puffing his cigar with more ease.

"Well… no one, but I overheard him say something about it," Peter reared away from the speech he'd planned. Damn Jonah Jameson and his impossible personality!

"LA? What reason would Spider-Man have to go to LA?" Robbie asked but it seemed more of a thought out loud than him questioning Peter's information.

Peter shrugged in response before shaking his head to signal he wasn't sure. "I would like to find out. I was wondering if the Bugle would fund a trip for me out there so I could find out… sir," he looked down at his worn sneakers to avoid Jameson's glare. He looked up feeling eyes on him but it was Robbie who was staring at him, not Jonah. Robbie's eyes searched Peter before he noticed a change in the older man's watchful look. It almost looked like it suddenly dawned on him why Peter was asking and he had to consider once again what Robbie knew. Maybe he simply comprehended that Peter was asking to go but Robbie's look said so much more.

Raucous laughter filled the room and Jonah started slapping his desk in between bursts of laughter.

Peter sighed and shrunk inwardly, knowing it was foolish to ask but he had to. "I can't afford to go on my own and I figured the Bugle would want coverage…" he muttered, a weak, last ditch effort.

"Parker, have you lost your damn mind?" Jonah shouted, looking at Peter like he'd just asked for a million dollars. "The Bugle is not funding your vacation. Go to LA on your own time. And in case that wasn't clear, that was a no. N-O. Hell no! If Spider-Man goes to LA then they can have him."

Peter raised his hands in defense. "Sorry, Mr. Jameson."

Robbie sighed, used to JJJ's usual vehemence but couldn't stand the look of defeat on Peter's face. "There's no need to tear his head off, Jonah. Calm down." He directed his next words to Peter. "I don't think there's any need for Spider-Man to travel to LA, Peter. I'm sorry, but we'll need you to stay here. Besides, you said yourself you weren't sure."

Peter nodded at the calmer man in the room. He was crestfallen, crushed even. There was no way he'd be able to check on MJ now. Without Spider-Man showing up in LA… there'd be no reason to go out there and no Peter meant there'd be no Spider-Man in LA.

"Stop wasting my time, Parker. Go find out why that webhead of a menace blew up half of Stanton Street and get me pictures this time!" Jonah demanded, ashing his cigar.

"Yes sir," Peter mumbled, backpedalling for the door- aka retreating with his tail between his legs.

"Peter!" Robbie called after, catching the door as the younger man retreated out. "Wait!"

Peter hesitated only a moment, not turning back around. He needed to get out of the Bugle office before he exploded with a mix of emotions. "Sorry, Robbie, but I'll talk to you later." He managed, not prepared to deal with how he would try to console Peter and soothe the harshness of the conversation with Jonah. He wasn't ready to handle the pity party, no matter how much Robbie meant well.

"But, I want to tell you about the new movie filming in town!" Robbie called to his retreating back.

"Don't worry… I'll get pictures," Peter practically snapped, waving Robbie off even as he felt the sharp twinge of guilt for doing so. He smacked the release bar on the door leading to the stairs, refusing to wait for the elevator.

Robbie frowned in concern, shaking his head sadly as he watched Peter go. He knew his friend Mary Jane was in the movie and he couldn't help the sneaking suspicion that the reason Spider-Man may be headed to LA had something to do with her sudden disappearance from California. Or maybe he was totally crazy… He smacked his hands down to his sides in defeat and rolled his eyes as Jonah shouted for his help. He turned heel and stepped back into the office, shutting the door.

Peter slammed the rooftop door open so hard it nearly broke off the hinges. On his own now, he was able to unleash his emotions, starting with the anger he felt for Jonah's unnecessary, nasty temper directed at him. Later would come to usual feelings of defeat and self-pity but for now… he was going with anger. He stalked the rooftop back and forth, clenching and unclenching his fists. He let out a low growl of anger but found none of this was releasing the tension he felt. He glanced around carefully before stripping his clothes off to reveal his costume underneath. When nothing else worked, webslinging was the only way to get his mind off his problems. And perhaps adding a visit to Bruce… Or even better, pummeling whatever idiot criminal, and there were plenty of idiot criminals out there, - of this he was sure- got in his path.

He webbed up his clothing to retrieve later and leapt off the Bugle rooftop, plunging into the city below, hoping to take his mind off his failure to help Mary Jane.


	5. Chapter 5: Fancy Meeting You Here

**Author's Notes= BOLD**

**Hi there! Sorry this update took so long but at least it is the longest chapter so far! Spare you all the details of why it took so long and just get right to it. ;) Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long to produce! Skip the rest of the bold print to get on with the show. If you left a review and I have a response, read on with the bold print! Either way, please review and enjoy! Toodles!**

**Sonar- I don't know what was unexpected about Chapter 4 or the whole story thus far. If you elaborate, so will I! ;)**

**Bluelily710- Glad you are enjoying and I appreciate your love for the story! I hurry as much as I can but to get it right takes time :)**

**Froggen- Thank you so kindly for your review and praise! I am honored that you feel I understand these characters. Of all the fandoms I dip into I truly feel most connected with Peter/MJ. They are a joy to right and I keep trying to do them justice, so thanks! **

**Thisisit- Thanks for the compliments. I know you want them to be together but it wouldn't be much fun if they were together, at least right away ;) Keep on reading and see what happens! **

**And to the Guest- I'll try not to keep you and the other fans waiting so long! Its hard to find time and then be creative in that time but I'll do my best. Hope you keep on enjoying!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Fancy Meeting You Here

Song: This is Not the Last Time, David Cook

_I remember  
When the world outside  
Was just a picture  
Where the colors came alive  
Nothing broken  
We were once so brave  
Then the ocean  
Came and took it all away  
And all that I could say_

_This is not the last time_  
_I will see the sun rise_  
_Cause I've been dreamin' for too long_  
_To give up and leave this behind_  
_This is not the last time_

_Now we're older_  
_But we're still the same_  
_A little wiser_  
_Ah but we are not afraid_  
_Of open waters_  
_Let them take away_  
_Everything_

_This is not the last time_  
_I will see the sun rise_  
_Cause I've been dreamin' for too long_  
_To give up and leave this behind_  
_This is not the only way_  
_Tomorrow's holding on to another day_  
_I know that this moment's real_  
_Even though it might feel like goodbye_  
_This is not the last time_

_This is not a goodbye_  
_This is just a lullaby_  
_And everything will be alright_

_This is not the last time_  
_I will see the sun rise_  
_Cause I've been dreamin' for too long_  
_To give up and leave this behind_  
_This is not the only way_  
_Tomorrow's holding on to present day_  
_I know that this moment's real_  
_Even though it might feel like goodbye_  
_This is not the last time_

_I remember_  
_When the world outside_  
_Was just a picture_  
_Where the colors came alive_

_I remember_  
_When the world outside_  
_Was just a picture_

_This is not the last time_

* * *

MJ wiped a bead of sweat from her brow before resting her ball cap back onto her forehead. She exhaled slowly as the heat of the sun bore down on her. Up on the rooftop of a 50 story building in the 98 degree heat was not how she pictured her day. Luckily, Vincent had given her a ball cap to wear as part of her undercover cop uniform to keep the sun out of her eyes during the next scene they were preparing to film.

The scene required her to fight off four guys at once before the helicopter flew in and retrieved the battered criminals before her character, Emma, could stop them. She wanted to nail this scene perfectly to prove she could easily handle being Mal's sidekick in the hopes the director and producer would change their minds about her changed role.

"Ok, people. I know we're all hot and it's not going to get any cooler as the day goes on. Let's try and get this in as little takes as possible. Then we'll wrap for the day and start fresh tomorrow. We only have the helicopter for a few days and there are a few other shots we need with it, so let's make it count!" Vincent ordered loudly, rushing around the make-shift roof set. "Can I get the villains in place, please? Mary Jane, you ready?"

MJ stretched a few muscles and cringed at the pain in her sunburned shoulders. She raised her head up so Vincent could see her eyes under the cap. "Ready!" she shouted, standing on her mark.

Vincent broke eye contact with her and spoke into a walkie-talkie. "Helicopter ready?"

"We're in place, boss. Chopper will be on the scene on your mark," the reply on the walkie-talkie came.

"All right. We're going to try and get this done on the first take. I'll make the call when we're ready for the fly in," Vincent replied once more before his attention went back to MJ and the four villain actors. "In three!" he motioned to the camera man and clapboard operator.

An hour later and fifteen takes in, MJ was ready to fall over in heat exhaustion. She finished off a second bottle of water and awaited Vincent's call. She had to give him credit; he was a patient man and only lost his temper after take eleven. Luckily, the fault for needing repetitive takes was not her own but her co-actors. The four men, whom she found herself referring to as Villain A, B, C, and D, had minimal training in stunt combat and one of them at one take or another seemed to consistently miss a thrown punch or kick, stumbled over their own feet, or missed a cue to fall back in injury. They hadn't even gotten far enough for the helicopter to make it into the scene. She was beginning to wonder if they ever would.

MJ was just glad none of their mistakes resulted in accidently striking her. She just wished they'd get it right already because the sun was getting hotter and it was getting harder and harder not to sweat off her make-up. She waited on her mark as Vincent ran over the stunt sequences again with the villains.

"Just try and follow through with the steps. Follow Mary Jane's movements and keep it moving fluidly. The chopper guy is getting antsy and this heat isn't helping anyone, all right? Let's get it right this time," Vincent stalked away from the villains with clear impatience despite his calm tone.

This time when Vincent called action, MJ swung into motion with the last of her energy and traded stunt blows with the villains, blocking and attacking in time with the planned choreography. The villains seemed to be keeping up and the sequence almost felt real to her. She spun on her booted heels, blocking one attack before sending out a well-timed kick at another attacker. She timed her fall nicely as one of the attackers took her off her feet. She rose onto her elbows as villain A delivered his line. Then villain B advanced on her as planned. She kicked out and he fell as she jumped to her feet to begin the next fight sequence. The air began to whip roughly and she tried hard not to smile as she realized they were only seconds away from the helicopter making it into the scene. The wind whipped hard, sending her ball cap flying off her mane of red hair. She ignored it, brushing her hair away with a sweep of determination. Villain B and C grabbed at her as planned and she squirmed free, shoving one off then the other. Villain D ran for the roof edge landing right on his mark as the chopper rose above them.

On cue villain A also ran off while B and C knocked her away and attempted their escape as the chopper moved into place. MJ surged forward as planned, pursuing the villains. She only made it two leaps forward before she felt the impact of someone knocking into her and then she was swept off her feet, literally, into the air.

* * *

Spider-Man swung across the City, trading one web line for another. He came to a halt alongside a wide ledge of a rather tall building. He crouched down, resting on the ledge to catch his breath. He nearly covered the entire lower west side and back before he realized he was heaving for air. He raised his mask just above his nose, wiping the drenched sweat off his cheeks. The heat combined with his extensive web swinging was taking its toll on his body. He fanned his face, wishing for a breeze.

And unlike any other time he wished for something, it actually happened. A breeze picked up, and Spidey wondered who turned on the really giant fan. He narrowed his brow, replacing his mask before he could thoroughly enjoy the breeze, even if it was just blowing hot air around. His eyes fixed on the adjacent rooftop in search of what caused the wind to pick up so excessively and his eyebrows shot up with surprise. Across the busy city street below, on the rooftop of a building a few stories lower than his current position, were four men donned in black attacking a lone figure clad in jeans, an army green tank top, and a black ball cap. The figure in green looked suspiciously like a woman.

Spidey straightened up, wondering if the heat had finally gotten to him and he was imagining things. The four men traded blows with the woman and she tried her best to keep up. When the wind really picked up, Spidey realized that a helicopter was flying too low for any city regulations and fast approaching the rooftop brawl. His eyes darted back to the people on the rooftop and he noticed the woman lost the black hat she was wearing. Flaming red hair whipped in the wind as she watched the men scramble for the helicopter. Her hand flew up to brush away the hair from her face.

Spidey's heart quite literally came to a stop and he nearly fell onto his backside in surprise. He blinked rapidly, once again wondering if the heat had caused some visual or brain damage. That was Mary Jane! How could it be Mary Jane?

Without a second consideration he leapt off the building, knowing he had to help her.

He fell freely covering the difference in building height swiftly before landing easily on his toes. The trajectory of the force sent him rolling a few feet across the rooftop. He was up and moving easily, crashing into MJ's body with his arm encircling her waist as he kept moving forward like a freight train. He leapt up, sending a web line out to connect to the closest building and descended into the air, away from the rooftop and helicopter.

* * *

MJ had the good sense to squeeze her eyes shut when she felt the unexpected impact of her body colliding with another. For a split second she had an over-reacting spasm of a panic attack, fearing the helicopter had knocked into her. There was no way villain A, B, C, or D possessed the power to cause such an impact. She attempted to suck in a breath but her lungs felt trapped in a vice. With this realization, she knew that whatever hit her had a hold on her and she heard the wind rushing passed her ears like you would on a roller coaster. *Open your eyes, stupid!* She gasped in surprise as she was met with a view of the City far below her- a view she had been witness to a few times before, courtesy of a man in red and blue spandex. It was then that other sensations hit her all at once like a sensory overload. Beneath the touch of her hands she felt the familiar ribbed fabric of her once would-be superhero stalker. She breathed in finally, catching his scent. Her eyes tore away from the view below and she gasped once again as her eyes focused directly beside her, into the opaque white-slots where behind them she knew the bluest eyes she'd ever looked upon resided. She said nothing, too stunned to believe what was happening. She remained silent until he deposited them both on the adjacent rooftop a few stories higher than before. When her feet hit the ground the arms holding her upright loosened their hold then let go. MJ's knees wobbled unsteadily and she nearly collapsed to ground had she not instinctively reacted by grabbing a hold of his bicep.

A million emotions surged through her at once, causing her head to spin. Her grip tightened on him, a last ditch effort to keep from falling down. It wasn't until his hand reached up and gripped her arm in return, holding her up that she felt slightly steadier. When the whirlwind of emotions finally slowed, she cursed silently as her eyes fell onto their entwined grasp. Damn her instincts to rely on him for help! It was beyond her control and that angered her beyond rational thought.

Peter was speechless. For once in his life, with this suit on, he was rendered utterly and completely speechless. He had Mary Jane standing right before him and he was touching her. After seven long months without a word spoken between them, without the briefest inkling of a touch shared… here she was, in his grasp. His eyes finally tore away from the hand he held on her forearm to look up at her face. And after the disorientation of the previous thirty seconds finally cleared from her features, he was surprised by what came next. He lost count of all the times he pictured a reunion between them and how the scenario would play out. But never… never in all his imaginings did the look she now bore into him with become part of those musings. He pictured her smiling, sad, shocked, even angry but not… he didn't even know how to define it… was it disappointment? Annoyed? Disregard?

"What the hell are you doing?" she shrieked, ripping her arm away from him. She shouted it again when his head cocked to the side, reminding her of a puppy's confusion trying to learn what its master said. She shouted even louder, screeching over the roar of the nearby helicopter that served as a reminder of what just happened.

Peter's face furrowed in confusion under his mask. He looked more closely at her in disbelief as her words finally registered. He blinked once, twice. Then he looked back over his shoulder at the scene going on across the way. Hysteria, check. MJ removed from hysteria, check. His eyes went back to her and he hooked his thumb up, pointing behind him over his shoulder. "Uh, saving you?" he shouted over the chopping sound of the helicopter. "Ya know… cuz you needed saving…" he added lamely, swallowing the knot in his throat. He replayed the past few minutes over in his mind and shifted his weight to one foot indecisively. With a rush of necessity, he began talking, ok more like babbling. The silence between them was such a powerful presence that the Rhino may as well have stood in between them. And in typical Peter Parker fashion, he filled the air with unnecessary chatter, which in his Spider-Man costume was the equivalent to witty, comical nonsense. "Since when did you become a superhero? Were you fighting those guys? Are you gonna tell me what the hell is going on?"

Mary Jane's jaw dropped and she let out a noise somewhere between a squeak and a growl. She shifted her weight with incredulity, crossed her arms, before finally throwing them up in a lack of patience. She shoved him aside, in which he obliged, and scuffed the soles of her knee high black boots against the rocky rooftop floor as she trekked to the ledge. "Take me back right now!" she demanded, ignoring his tirade of questions, none of which she planned on answering.

"Take you back?" he repeated, not hiding the insurmountable confusion from his tone. "Over there, where there's four guys and a helicopter? Are you completely insane?"

Mary Jane whipped back around to face him, arms crossed defensively again. "Yes! Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

He scratched the top of his mask, as if he was reaching the hair underneath. "Well, I thought we covered that part. I was saving your life!" He threw his arms out, presenting her with the scene below and adjacent to them.

"From what?" she groaned, not waiting for his answer. She blew by him, eyes searching wildly for the door that would lead her off this roof. She tucked the wildly blowing strands of her layered locks away from her eyes as her head shifted in search.

"Whoa, whoa Red!" Peter called out, speeding past her to block the way. He held out his arms in a sign of surrender but blocked her path. "You were fighting those guys! Why the hell would you want to go back there? Not to mention you're still not explaining what you were doing on top of a roof in the middle of New York City with a freakin' helicopter circling you!" Peter spun his arm in the air just above his head with his finger pointing in a circular motion that mocked the blades of the helicopter.

"It was a scene from a movie, idiot!" she spat, her temper peaking as she considered the ruined shot. More or less, her temper had little to do with that but the fact that he standing before her seven months later and she had absolutely no idea how to handle this. Anger felt all wrong, evil even. But, she couldn't stop herself, couldn't bite back the bitterness his presence invoked.

Peter lowered his arm, shoulders slumped. *Well, that made perfect sense!* "Oh." He mouthed, managing only just that as a response.

Her eyebrows lifted practically to her hairline as he stood in front of her looking completely at a loss. She managed a smirk despite the situation because she never managed to create that kind of reaction from Peter Parker before in her life. She tensed up immediately as his name crossed her mind. For the life of her, she couldn't manage to scrounge up another ounce of attitude when she spoke again. "So, can you please get out of my way now?" she felt her stomach roll at the sound of innocent desperation in her tone.

Before he could muster a response, the sounds of shouts and screams overpowered the continuous, rhythmic whooshing of the helicopter. MJ's head whipped around at the same time Peter strained to see over her shoulder. They both dashed across the roof to see what was going on. His eyes surveyed the commotion as the movie crew, whom he hadn't noticed before, scrambled around the roof. Three of the men who had been attacking MJ were running along with the crew while the other waved his arms wildly in the arm at the helicopter as if he was trying to ward it away. Peter's eyes fell on the helicopter and he tensed as he watched the aircraft spinning wildly, out of control. He didn't need spider sense to know things were not heading in a safe direction.

MJ inhaled sharply next to him. She didn't consider her instincts this time, just reached out and gripped his forearm. "Oh my God! They're gonna crash!"

Peter watched as the helicopter's spinning grew more furious and the pilot and passenger inside reacted fervently to try and bring the helicopter back under control. The man on the rooftop went down suddenly and was being dragged to the rooftop's edge as the helicopter tipped onto an unnatural angle and the blades sputtered with the effort to keep it upright. It was then that he noticed the man on the rooftop was clinging to a rope attached to the helicopter. The helicopter was about to go down and it would surely kill all three men and whoever the unlucky pedestrians below it on the city streets were.

"Do something!" Mary Jane shouted at him while shaking his arm, trying to break through the shock of what was going on to compel him into action.

Of course, he was already plotting the first move as she screamed above the sounds of chaos. Without a response to her demand he leapt up on the edge of the rooftop, teetering for just a moment to look to her. It was then he felt the pressure of her touch and he slipped his hand away, gripping her fingers with his momentarily. "Stay here! Don't move!" he ordered before diving off the roof in a clear cut path to the insanity below.

He was across the distance and into the fray in one solid leap. He reached the man entangled in the rope attached to the helicopter first. He was already fast at work removing the knotted rope from the man's ankle before the man even noticed he was there.

"Spider-Man?" he questioned with surprise.

"The one and only," Spidey remarked as he managed to work the knot free just as the helicopter's blades sputtered to a stop and the rope zipped away with the chopper's downward descent. Spidey's panic increased and he only spared a moment to tell the man to scramble away as fast as he could. He was on his feet instantly, running to the rooftop edge and leaping off. His downward fall was quickened as he flattened his body against the rushing wind. As he plummeted down, he quickly shot out web strands, catching the chopper. He spread out his arms wondering if he looked like a bird trying to flap its wings as he slowed his descent. He pulled the web strands attached to the chopper with a mighty tug, raising the machine up high enough for him to grasp the bottom rung in one hand. He grit his teeth with the force of the effort to keep the chopper in his grasp as his other hand quickly spun a giant web below it. He managed to land the chopper onto the web as gently as he could, considering the situation, but he could already hear the sound of the web snapping under the pressure. He scurried up to the window of the chopper to find the pilot searching around in a panic and the co-pilot passed out cold.

"Spider-Man!" the pilot shouted, showing the same shock the previous man did, but with less question of his appearance; clearly he was a resident of New York. His hands splayed up against the window. "Help!"

"Can you move?" Spidey shouted.

"Yes, but Ethan is knocked out!" the pilot replied, looking over at the unconscious man.

Spidey climbed over to the door and ripped it open. He helped the pilot undo the safety harness and scooped him up. "I'm going to bring you back to the crew!"

"But… Ethan!" his eyes fell on the co-pilot.

"Don't worry, I'll get him out!" Spidey promised, already shooting a single web strand to the top of the building. He made quick work of scaling the distance and depositing the pilot onto the rooftop. Dozens of people surrounded him, taking the pilot out of his grasp.

"Carl, are you ok?" one man shouted.

"Yeah, yeah… I'm all right but… Ethan hit his head when we lost power! He's gonna die!" Carl, the pilot, shoved people away in a heroic attempt to go back and rescue his co-pilot.

Spidey glanced at the people holding him back before looking back at Carl. "He's not going to die. Keep him safe!" He nudged his chin at Carl before leaping backwards off the building in a dive that would make the most experienced high-board diver jealous. He flipped mid-air then twisted around slowing his drop to make the most minimal impact on the already weakened webbing holding the chopper and Ethan from plummeting to the street below.

Spidey scurried around to the passenger side of the chopper even as the distinct plinking sound of his webbing failing rang in his ears in alarm. He happened to look to the street below thankful to see flashing red and blue lights, meaning the police were there. He only hoped this meant they had cleared the street because he knew there was only so much time left before the chopper would break through the web, hitting the street. Spidey went back to work, pulling on the door of the chopper. He cringed as the metal creaked before flying open. He wriggled Ethan's harness, struggling to free him. He groaned as the harness refused to come undone. *Isn't this the kind of stuff that only happened in movies?* He rolled his eyes at the irony. Movies that were already filmed, not this situation! Luckily, he possessed the proportionate strength of a spider and was able to easily rip away the harness. He tumbled back as one of the main supports of the web gave way. He fell onto his back and shot his hands out in front of him as the chopper turned over, falling onto him. The motion caused Ethan to tumble out and Spidey reached one arm out to stop the man from spilling out into the air while the other hand kept the weight of the chopper off his body before it crushed him.

He grunted and let out a small growl as he reached deep inside to find the effort to balance the weight of both the man and the machine. The frightening sound of another web support snapping and his spider sense blaring sent him into emergency mode and he hurled himself away from the tumbling chopper, still holding Ethan in his other hand. He tumbled in the air a few short feet before his arm over extended and his hold on Ethan weakened, sending the unconscious man's weight below him. He gripped onto the side of the building, stopping them abruptly. He tightened his hold on him as the trajectory of the fall combined with the abrupt halt in motion almost made him lose his grip. He lifted his head up to see the chopper roll once more and it began tumbling to the street below.

Spidey cursed aloud, knowing he either had to drop Ethan or watch the chopper crash. He looked around in a final effort to do something to stop this. He gasped, seeing the building had a large, lipped edge a few stories down. He hopped down, carefully placing Ethan on the edge, webbed him to it in case he came to in the next few moments and shoved off the ledge with all his power, racing against the helicopter like a bullet. He managed to get under it just a few feet before ground level. He went to his knees with the effort of catching the chopper right under the belly of the machine. His feet cracked through the pavement a few inches as he waivered under the extreme force of holding up the thousand plus pounds of the chopper. He felt a tear in his left shoulder, unsure of whether or not it was muscle or costume ripping. With the last of his energy, he dropped the helicopter to the street as gently as he could muster.

He fell to one knee, gasping for air as his body threatened to shut down from the exertion in the extreme heat. He looked around as bystanders and police officers stared at him with looks of awe and amazement. He allowed himself only a half minute before he launched himself up in the air again. The police were beginning to scramble as they got over their initial shock and he knew he had to clear out. Plus, he had to get back to Ethan. He scaled the wall of the building as fast as his exhausted body would let him, cringing in pain each time he extended his left arm. It was apparent then that it was a muscle he tore and not his costume. Oddly, he was thankful; his body would heal fast, replacing his costume was more of a hindrance overall. He reached Ethan, grateful momentarily that the man was still unconscious. That feeling passed quickly however, knowing he'd been unconscious too long already. He needed help and fast.

He lifted the man onto his good shoulder and rushed to the rooftop. As he reached the edge he climbed over almost clumsily and was thankful that the movie crew and paramedics now on the roof took the unconscious co-pilot from his grasp before he faltered. He collapsed onto his knees as the paramedics placed Ethan down and went to work on him.

His shoulders were heaving sending waves of pain over and over his body. His hands shook with the adrenalin now rushing away from him. His head whipped to the side when he felt the pressure of someone touching his sore shoulder. He was only surprised for a moment when he realized it was MJ. He knew she wouldn't have listened and stayed put, but he was also surprised by the look of pure concern and fear in her eyes. He felt her pull away as he winced from her gentle touch. She presented him with a bottle of water and it wasn't until he set eyes on it that he realized he was likely overheated from the excursion. He lifted his mask just above his lips and gulped down the water.

"You better get out of here," she warned gently, hoping the concern for his safety resonated over the command that could be interpreted all wrong.

Despite everything that had happened between them, he knew her order was one of concern and not hatred. He nodded slightly, pulling his mask back down.

He turned and raised himself to the ledge of the building with great effort, nearly tipping over the edge as his feet tried to balance him. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to stop the world from spinning.

"Th-thanks," MJ managed. There was so much more to say but she didn't know how.

"Always," he muttered in a barely audible whisper. He was not sure it was his body threatening to shut down anymore but his heart. He ached with the pain of being separate from in an instant and he clutched the ledge as he contemplated what was next. Would he see her again? How? If he disappeared now, how would he find her again? He couldn't just walk away- or in this case web sling. "MJ…" he started, his head bent low to avoid looking at her. He didn't know what to do, what to say… but he couldn't just leave.

MJ waited, expecting a remark, witty or otherwise but there was nothing. He kept his head down perched on his tiptoes while his right hand gripped the ledge he teetered on. She bit her bottom lip unsure of what to do. Her brain screamed at her to let him go, just let him go! After everything that had happened, she had nothing to say to him and everything to say all at once. But her heart… her heart screamed just as loud to not let him go. *Stop him! Say something, anything but don't let him just leave!* Mary Jane had never been one to be rational in the face of strong emotions and despite how much she had changed in the past seven months, there were parts of her out of her control to change, would never change. Her heart ruled her head, not her brain. That part of Mary Jane Watson has always been true to her, in the darkest of times and in the happiest moments. She sighed, still upset with herself for giving in regardless of the inner turmoil that raged within over her decision. She straightened up, hands forming fists at her side. "Carousel, Forest Park… three hours." She informed, almost flinching at the toughness in her tone. "Be there on time or I won't be there a moment longer." She relaxed her stance, splaying out her fingers from the fists she'd formed. She hadn't expected to be so strong. She knew she would probably never be rid of her weak spot when it came to him, but she'd be damned if it wouldn't be on her terms from now on. "Got it?"

Peter was grateful for his mask because he couldn't help but allow a slip of a smile to turn the one corner of his mouth. God, she was amazing! He could feel the wall of strength she'd put up around herself and the authority in her voice was like nothing he'd heard from her before. She'd certainly laid down the law and Peter was not going to be the idiot to cross the line. He knew he should be grateful she gave him this chance at all and not even Galactus was going to stop him from being a moment late.

A strange feeling overcame him and his smile widened. A warmth and comfort he had not felt in months wormed its way into his veins. Everything suddenly seemed at ease, despite that he had personally caught a helicopter that fell out of the sky with his bare hands. It all seemed minor in comparison to the pain and solitude he had been subjected to since her departure. Feeling like his old Spidey self, he couldn't help but quip. It burned on his lips as he fought to keep his mouth shut. He knew the smart choice was to keep quiet and not irk her. She was serious, deadly serious right now. Yet, all Peter could feel was joy, euphoria, and a giddiness that rendered him unable to keep his big mouth shut.

In true Spider-Man fashion he turned on his toes and lifted his head up, cocked to the side until he got her eyes locked onto the opaque slots of his mask. "Make it two hours, forty-five minutes, Red. It's a date." He winked, even though she couldn't see it. He reached out with his good hand and traced one gloved finger down her jaw line gently. Before she could react, he leaned over the edge and free fell before web slinging away.

MJ gasped, her mouth forming a wide "O" in reaction. Her fists clamped again and she glared daggers at him as he disappeared in a flurry of acrobatic tumbles across the skyline. *Oh! Peter Parker, you… you… of all the cocky, stubborn, aggravating, infuriating, annoying….You are…* she sighed longingly, slouching in defeat. He was simply amazing and there was never a thing about it that could change her mind.

"Amazing…" she muttered, her words a whisper on the wind.


	6. Chapter 6: Rebuilding

Chapter 6: Rebuilding

Song: Fearless, Colbie Caillat

_If that's the way you love  
You've got to learn so much  
If that's the way you say goodbye_

_And this is how it ends_  
_And I'm alright with it_  
_You're never gonna see me cry_  
_Cause I've cried_

_So go on, go on and break my heart_  
_I'll be okay_  
_There's nothing you can do to me_  
_That's ever going to burn me_

_So go on, go on and leave my love_  
_Out on the street_  
_I'm fearless_  
_Better believe I'm fearless, fearless_

_So oh woh oh woh oh..._

_If this is how it hurts_  
_It couldn't get much worse_  
_If this is how it feels to fall_

_Then that's the way it is_  
_We live with what we miss_  
_We learn to build another wall_  
_Till it falls_

_So go on go on and break my heart_  
_I'll be okay_  
_There's nothing you can do to me_  
_That's ever going to burn me_

_So go on, go on and leave my love_  
_Out on the street_  
_I'm fearless_  
_Better believe I'm fearless, fearless_

_So oh woh oh woh..._

_Oh woh oh woh..._

_Oh woh oh woh..._

_If it's between love and losing  
To never have known the feeling  
And I'm still sad we've loved_

_And if I end up lonely_  
_At least I will be there knowing_  
_I believe in love_

_Go on, go on break my heart_  
_I'll be okay_  
_I'm fearless_  
_Better believe I'm fearless, fearless_

_Go on, go on and break my heart_  
_I'll be okay_  
_There's nothing you can do to me_  
_That's ever going to burn me_

_So go on, go on and leave my love_  
_Out on the street_  
_I'm fearless_  
_Better believe I'm fearless_

_So oh woh oh..._

_So go on and leave my love_  
_Go on and leave my love_  
_Go on and leave my love_  
_Better believe I'm fearless, fearless_  
_Fearless..._

* * *

The commotion upon the rooftop settled from complete pandemonium to slight chaos once the paramedics got the injured into ambulances and en route to the hospital. Luckily, only Carl, Ethan, and Villain D (MJ now felt guilty for not learning his name) had to be transported to the hospital and the worse injury belonged to Ethan with a concussion. Carl had a few cuts and bruises but was being evaluated for safety reasons and Villain D suffered rope burns from his leg being tangled in the rope attached to the helicopter.

Things could have been worse, much worse had it not been for Spider-Man.

And that was the talk of the crew still gathered on the rooftop, mulling about as they talked about what had happened and how awesome Spider-Man was.

MJ did all she could not to roll her eyes as everyone "oohed" and "aahed" over it. Of course, she understood their interest but she was still slightly fuming over his cockiness upon his departure. Speaking of… she checked her watch and blew her bangs away from her eyes. She had to get moving soon if she was going to keep her appointment with him. She snorted with a half grin considering whether or not she should make him wait for her! Part of her heart surged in panic with that thought. What if he left? She couldn't take the chance and damn him for having that bit of control over her still. All thoughts considered, however, told her she had that much of a hold on him still, too- albeit slight.

"I'm not paying you people to congregate! Pack this equipment up now and get a move on!" Willy clapped his hand, drawing what was left of the crew's attention. "Ok, ok, let's go!" he added as everyone started to wander off slowly. He moved with purpose, cutting across the distance between the crew and Mary Jane. His expression changed from one of annoyance to a beaming smile as he met MJ's eyes. "How are ya, MJ? Ya ok? Boy that was something, huh?"

Mary Jane smile politely and nodded. "I'm ok. No harm done. Yeah… that sure was something."

"Not something you experience on a regular basis, I bet," Willy chuckled rubbing his chin in thought.

MJ fought off the snort of indignation and simply continued to smile. She'd seen that look on Willy's face before and he was clearly only half present in their conversation. "Did the stunt crew figure out what went wrong? I didn't see the special effects guy anywhere."

Willy's eyes landed on her face and he blinked, clearly trying to bring himself to pay attention. "Er, no. They're hauling the helicopter back to the studio lot and they'll take a closer look then. Chances are there was a fault in the wiring or some sort of technical issue. I'm sure they'll work it out. Sometimes things like this happen…." He reported ominously before huffing with a force of humorous laughter, changing his expression. "With the exception of Spider-Man showing up, that is."

She studied his face momentarily wondering what the apprehension in his voice meant as he spoke about the accident with the helicopter. She expended only a moment of thought on it as her attention was more fixated on his final comment. "Mmm," MJ sweetened her smile but under her lips her teeth were gritted.

"Say… I wonder if we can convince him to make a cameo in the film. I bet we could use some of the footage from today…"

"Oh… no!" MJ waved her hands in disagreement and laughed too sharply, catching Willy's attention.

"Why so sure? What exactly did you two chat about once he swept you away?" Willy's interest was highly piqued now.

"I'm not sure. I just assume he's probably too busy swinging all around the city sweeping tons of women off their feet and such, Willy. Plus, he's kind of a vigilante. It's not exactly like you can call his agent and schedule an audition. He's a hero, not an actor," MJ spoke quickly, trying to get his mind off this ridiculous idea. "And we didn't talk about anything. He thought he was stopping a real crime from happening. I yelled at him for ruining the shot." She answered honestly.

Willy chuckled, patting her shoulder. "Atta girl! Well, it was just an idea… still…" he trailed off, falling into deep thought again. His eyebrow quirked as he stared off, a signal he was running scenes in his head.

MJ's smile became more natural as she saw the far off look in his eyes. She appreciated the way he was always thinking, always plotting, even if his current thought process revolved around Spider-Man. She didn't have much experience working with directors but she liked Willy. He was honest and kind for the most part and he'd never complained once about her inexperience but tried to help her. "Well…" she cleared her throat, hoping to catch his attention. "I think I've had enough fun for one day, so… am I free to go?"

"Huh?" Willy's head snapped in her direction and then he nodded, waving his hand distractedly at her. "Oh, sure, sure. I'll be in the studio piecing together what footage we can use from today. We'll need to know in order to handle the helicopter situation, depending on whether or not the problem is fixable- we may have to scrap any other scenes planned with it and make some edits. Here I am rambling on and you must be exhausted. I'll worry about the shots; you just worry about being ready for the next scene, yeah? Good job today, kiddo."

"Sure," MJ gave a soft laugh. "Thanks. Good luck with editing. I hope the helicopter is repairable."

He muttered a thank you of sorts as he went back into his own world.

* * *

He was furious! He hadn't counted on interference from New York's most popular vigilante. A minor detail he would not forget again. No one would get in the way of his plans. He had spent too much time calculating every minor detail of his revenge. If alterations were necessary… well, luckily he was always prepared for any situation.

His giant palm rolled a small die around, observing it with a smirk. He tossed the die up and caught it. His next move would go off smoothly. If it didn't, he'd have to step up his work on the final act.

His eyes slit as he watched the crew haul away the tampered helicopter. There was no need to worry about that anymore. He had been quite thorough in his calculations and no matter who examined the helicopter, they would not find any evidence showing the helicopter was altered. Besides, even if they had, there would be nothing tracing back to him.

It was more important to work on the next step and make sure there were precautions put in place just in case that meddlesome bug man decided to interfere again. He pushed the brim of his hat down further, shading his face with shadows as members of the movie crew rushed around. He stepped into the shadows of the building's cover as the redhead rushed by.

A smile came to his lips as he watched her. His brow drew down, eyes watching her with care. Yes, soon all would be as it should. He'd see to it. There were no other options. He pocketed the experimental die and hummed a tune as he inconspicuously sauntered down the street away from the movie set.

* * *

Promptly two hours and forty minutes later, Mary Jane settled on a bench located next to the snack shack in the new section created for the carousel at Forest Park in Queens. She sipped her iced lemonade observing the group of children riding the carousel for the last round today.

The park had reopened the shuttered carousel (newly restored) earlier this summer, creating a pavilion around the centerpiece that included a spot for birthday parties (like the one currently about to end) and magic shows along with the carousel itself. She couldn't help but smile as their laughter filled the air. The sun was laying low in the sky, showing signs of retiring in place of the moon shortly. A few parents were already toting off their kids down the path to the parking lot but there were a few stragglers on the carousel.

She watched what she suspected to be the birthday girl inspecting her presents from the picnic table. She had pigtails in her sun-kissed golden brown hair and she was wearing a bright yellow sundress. She looked like she strolled right out of a TV commercial advertising the joy that could be found at the park once again. To MJ's delight, she observed the cutest scene ever as a little boy just about the birthday girl's age (MJ guessed about 6) shyly slipped up beside her and presented her with a flimsy daisy he'd picked from the grass not far off into the park. The little girl's face radiated excitement and delight and her new present trumped anything that could be offered wrapped in the colorful paper on the table. She sighed with a swelling heart at the sight. She propped up her chin on her fist, elbow resting on the armrest of the bench. The innocence of it all made her feel all mushy and fuzzy inside and for a few minutes she forgot about all the drama and heartache in her own life.

She was so caught up in observing the budding romance that she hadn't even noticed the shadow of a person crossing over the spot beside her until the shadow's owner spoke up.

"Pretty smart kid. If only a daisy could fix everything so easily," Peter's voice interrupted her musings.

Her eyes fixated harder on the two kids, refusing to meet his. She couldn't bring herself to look at him just yet. She knew if she did right now she would dissolve into a million pieces. Rather than fall apart she clenched her jaw, focusing on the two kids as they ran off to play one final time while parents packed up and the carousel's jolly music wound down.

Peter slipped his hands in his pockets, trying to decipher what her ignorance meant. He rocked back and forth on his heels a moment, watching what she did. "I got here as quickly as I could. I think I'm only a minute late." She still hadn't responded but neither had she run off. He knew just a minute late could be one minute too long- he'd experienced it first hand when he missed her plane on New Year's all those months ago.

He looked around, observing the changes in the park. He began to ramble, filling the quiet tension between them. "Looks like they fixed this place up. I'm surprised to say it, but I like it. I guess sometimes change can be good." He watched as the carousel operators turned off the lights flashing on the carousel. "You get so used to something being a certain way and then… it changes. I'll miss the old memories here but it is nice to see children enjoying this place again."

"Change is good," she finally responded but her eyes shifted down to her feet. "Sometimes."

"Would it be all right if I sat down?" he asked politely.

She nodded, placing her lemonade down at her feet. She immediately stiffened as she felt his presence right beside her. She straightened her back and fought valiantly to keep her eyes trained straight ahead. She mentally chanted in her head to be strong. Be strong. Don't show him your heart. Be strong. It repeated over and over, her mantra. When she finally felt capable of speaking aloud without her voice wavering, she cleared her mind. "How are you feeling? I noticed you seemed to have hurt your shoulder earlier."

Peter swallowed hard, biting back the sting of pain caused by her reaction to his closeness. It was quelled slightly at the sound of concern for his pain and her attention to notice he'd been injured. He reflexively stretched his shoulder muscles and found the muscle was still sore but healing. "I'll be all right- should be healed up by tomorrow. How… uh… how are the pilots doing? Was everyone all right?"

MJ nodded, turning her head slightly so he could see her small smile. She never seemed to be amazed by his selflessness. "A few were sent to the hospital with some minor injuries but everyone will be all right… thanks to y- Spider-Man," she corrected, knowing they were not alone. She'd learned her lesson in the past. Never make the connection of Peter to Spider-Man in a public area. "It's a good thing he was around."

Peter returned her tiny smile with a corner of a smile himself. The silence crept back up between them, like an invisible wall. He wasn't sure where to start or what to say that could possibly build a bridge in the rift between them. Perhaps it was far too late to even try. Yet, the concern they showed for one another despite it all told him that there was still hope. The confusing part for him was how to continue to show it without dragging her into his dangerous world. "So, you're in a movie? That's great. Sorry Spider-Man got in the way." His eyes wandered around finding they were alone enough for him to whisper the rest. "I had no idea… I thought I was hallucinating seeing you and then all I could think of was how to get you out of any danger."

"I guess some things don't change at all," Mary Jane tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, fidgeting. She didn't know how to accept his infallible desire to keep her safe, no matter what- mostly because it was that desire that kept them apart and all at once, always kept him coming back to her.

Peter's smile only faltered slightly at the hint of sarcasm in her tone. "I've been worried for awhile now. I know I don't have any right to express it, but it's the truth." He paused, expecting a reaction but she gave none. "Aunt May told me she couldn't reach you in LA and that you weren't on the soap opera anymore. No one heard from you and I was trying to find a way to get to LA and make sure you were ok. It isn't like you to not keep in touch with her."

Mary Jane had a hard time ingesting this. She blinked rapidly a few times, gathering her thoughts. She hadn't expected that. Once again, here he was professing his incessant care for her… yet, he'd hurt her in the worst way possible. Her heart fought with her brain as memories of his forced goodbye on the balcony played out in her mind's eyes. "I, uh… didn't want anyone to know I was in town."

"How long have you been here?" Peter asked, afraid he wasn't going to like the answer.

"A few weeks," she answered shortly, still trying to shut off the flood of emotions that came with the remembrance of that cold dawn. She shivered despite the heat of the night. *Be strong!*

"And I assume you didn't want anyone to know, meaning mostly me," Peter muttered, lowering his head in self-pity and remorse for what he'd created.

"Don't flatter yourself, Peter," MJ snapped but her agitation came from him seeing right through her. How did he always manage to do that? She was a master of a million faces and playing them off with precision, yet no matter what mask she wore, he always saw right through it.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, the apology fully loaded. He cradled his head in his hands, elbows on his knees.

"I didn't think there was anything left for us to say to one another," she shrugged, a cool chill settling around her heart as she recalled their last moment together on her balcony. The silence reached a peak that was unbearable and she almost turned to face him and see what he was thinking. What more torture did he want to put them both through?

Peter sighed, straightening up again and clenching his fingers together in his lap. He knew she was recalling the last time they had been together just after he rescued her from the Widow Maker. He had been harsh, trying to drive her away for good and he had succeeded. He would never… ever forget the force of her faux smile as she left. And while they hadn't seen each other in almost eight months, he never once forgot about her, never once stopped loving her. So while they were physically separated, he had never truly let go of her. He had been ready to give up on this ludicrous idea to stay away from her; had even rushed to the airport to stop her but she was gone. And it was for the best. But the single moment that he saw her again, he was already unable to let go all over. What did he expect to happen, though? Was he going to just fix this? What if she had moved on already? It was evident she still cared for him but MJ was a caring person so it could have no bearing on the fact that she had agreed to see him face to face… and yet, it hadn't escaped his notice that she had not looked at him once since he showed up here. "Mary Jane… I can't take back what happened between us in the past but that doesn't mean I ever stopped caring-"

"Just stop," she raised a hand up to silence him. She clenched her teeth, gathering her strength and fighting off the threat of tears. "You don't get to play the guilty card on me and you most certainly don't get to tell me how much you care about me, Peter Parker." She hissed.

"This is not about resolving my guilt, MJ. This is just an honest apology because you deserve one," he shook his head sorrowfully. "Whether you want to believe it or not, you can't avoid hearing it. I _am_ sorry."

She sighed long, exhaling sharply. With the expellant of air, came a rush of self preservation. "I don't owe you anything, Peter. And you don't own me anything."

He was taken aback by this response. She had changed. He once again sensed the wall of strength she was building up around herself, not giving him an inch. She was stronger, didn't need him to make things better. But old habits die hard and he felt he owed her everything. "I owe you an explanation."

She huffed. "For what?"

He gritted his teeth, wishing he didn't have to say it. "For hurting you."

Her eyes went skyward and she huffed again. "Don't…"

He did anyway. "Mary Jane… God… I can't tell you what it's been like since you've been gone… and now that you're back and I see you are doing ok… it's made me happy. I'm proud of you, happy for you- glad things are going your way. What happened can't be fixed with me saying I'm sorry- I get that. But for God sakes… are we really going to sit here and pretend we don't care about one another when we know that much is true if nothing else." He leaned forward tilting his head, trying to get her to meet his eyes. "I'm not asking you for anything, not forgiveness, nor understanding, or even friendship. But I thought… since you agreed to meet me we could at least walk away from here on terms we can both live with."

She bit down on her lower lip, tears building up in the corners of her eyes. There was no resolution that she could walk away with from here that she could live with sans one. And this is exactly what she wanted to avoid by seeing him again. "I've come to terms with what happened, Peter. You wanted me out of your life and I am. I have a career now and a life all my own. I don't need you…" her breath hitched unable to commit to those words for they were untrue. So she added, "-to be my hero anymore. I'm not the same person I once was."

The pain that stabbed into his chest reminded him of falling into shattered glass, each sliver cutting away a piece of his heart. He knew what she meant. She didn't need him. And after all, that's what he wanted so why the hell did it upset him? Because he had hoped beyond rational thought that she would always need him as he needed her (he just couldn't admit to himself that he did need her). The few moments earlier today on the rooftop when he felt the change inside of him, where everything felt normal, stable, the way he needed it to be had not escaped his notice and he knew it was no coincidence that those feelings came with her presence. He shook his head sadly as he mulled over her final statement. It was all so true and not at all at once. She was different and yet, not at all. "It was not my intention to upset you by us meeting here. I just needed to know you were really doing ok. If you want me to steer clear of you from now on, that's fine, but please don't ignore Aunt May. She's worried for you. Let her know you're back."

"I won't be here long, a few more weeks at most," she answered after mulling over his careful response to her. She could tell by his tone that he had caught on to what she had slipped up in saying. She felt a prickle of gloating that she managed to lash into him but it was quickly dispelled by the sting of guilt. She didn't want to hurt him; she was incapable of ever truly trying to hurt him.

His heart seized at this. This was unexpected. "You're going back to LA?"

"I'm going back home, yes," she said with as much conviction as she could muster trying to emphasize that LA was home now. "I'm just here for the movie."

"Oh," he responded, trying to hide the disappointment that he knew he couldn't. His eyes studied the park attendants preparing to shut down the carousel area for the night.

She finally screwed up the courage to look at him and she watched him out of the corner of her eyes. And all at once, she sunk into herself, the power of seeing him overwhelming her. Her stomach churned and her heart sped up into a frenzied rate. He hadn't changed much in appearance. Same blue eyes, same sad expression… his hair had gotten longer and was tousled wildly. She could see he was struggling with accepting what she'd just revealed. It made her consider reaching out to touch his hand, instantly feeling the urge to console him. She froze up like a statue when his eyes connected with hers.

Peter's hand itched to reach out and brush away the damp spot in the corner of her eyes. He clenched his hands together tighter, afraid to make a move and upset her further. All of his good senses told him to get up and leave, stop torturing her but he wasn't strong enough. The weight of the powerful emptiness he'd felt being separated from her had resurfaced and he missed her. He missed her and he missed the way she made him feel, missed the person he was when she was in his life. The emptiness was gone with her around, an instant satiation of the hollow spot inside him. But as important as all those feelings were, they were easily trumped by her feelings. Nothing mattered more than her, nothing ever could. "I won't interfere again while you're in town. The last thing I want is to cause you any trouble. Thanks for agreeing to meet me," he moved to stand up. "I just needed to know you were ok." He added, once his back was turned.

MJ watched him stand up and move to leave. She narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brow. She felt her heart continue to race since she had met his eyes but now it was racing with nervous energy, apprehension taking hold at the thought of him leaving. "Were you really going to go to LA?"

He paused in motion to leave and turned back to her, hands back in his pockets. "Yeah, I was." He stated simply, his shoulders shrugged and his voice cracking roughly as he answered.

She looked up through her eyelashes at him and before she could control her reaction she reached out and gripped his wrist to keep him from leaving. "Thanks for the concern." She said honestly while trying desperately to avoid the awakened emotions that came with touching him. She couldn't let him walk away without some sort of resolution. She had to prove it to herself and to him that she was so much stronger now. She didn't rely on him alone. She took care of herself. "But, I'm fine."

He nodded, accepting what she had to say. The skin at his wrist was burning white hot as her slim fingers clasped around his wrist. He wished she'd never let go. His fingers ached to entwine with hers, locking them together. It was instinctive to want to do so, a step above second nature, it just simply was. Instead, he chose to make an attempt to ignore the fact that she was touching him at all. Looking down into her teal eyes he could see the first slivers of the moon's light sparkle in them. "Good. That's all I ever want for you."

"And you, too," MJ finally let go of his wrist, unable to withstand the urge to touch him more any further. She had to break the contact.

"I'm ok," he forced out, knowing the words tasted wrong on his tongue. He was distracted as one of the park attendants shouted that they needed to go. The sun was about to set and the carousel area was closed.

"Time to go," MJ muttered, noticing for the first time that all the families were gone now and they were all alone except for the workers.

He was torn with leaving her here. "It's getting dark. Did you want some company walking out of here?" Peter asked not ready to let her go from his life again just yet. A part of him truly was uncomfortable with leaving her here alone in the dark as well, but he knew it stemmed from the only reasonable excuse he could concoct to stay with her.

She smirked knowing she had just given him an argument about how she was just fine but she couldn't bring herself to be separate from him. His expectant expression bordered on downright adorable. She knew he was looking for excuses and while it excited a piece of her heart that was long dead into a twitter, she wouldn't let the emotion overcome her. "I was planning on taking a walk around the park before I headed back to the subway station. If you want to join me, I think that would be ok." She was ok with that. She already began to feel the calming of his presence take effect on her, despite all her attempts to fight it off. There was no denying that Peter Parker was always going to be a part of her, even in some small way. She had changed, she was confident of that, confident of her ability to care for herself; however, that did not mean that she still didn't feel better with him around. Of course, it irritated her but each passing moment that irritation seemed to fade, only to surface in spurts of agitation with the confusion of their relationship. If she tried hard not to think about it, she could prolong dealing with it.

"Sure," he nodded, holding out an arm motioning for her to lead the way. He tried, with all his strength, note that included his super strength, not to leap into the air with joy at her acceptance of his company. He was chewing on the insides of his mouth to keep from beaming even though there had been no full resolution between them- it was a start.

She stood then met his eyes. He was just inches from her and she yearned to reach out to him. She managed to break away and walked off not waiting for him to follow. She heard him scurry up beside her moments later and she stopped in her tracks when he held his hand out in front of her, holding a daisy. She looked at the daisy, swallowing as a wave of pain came over her. It was from the shutter of her heart starting into motion again after being dormant for seven months. She reached out tentatively before plucking the puny flower from his hands, doing her best to avoid contact with him, but that was futile. Her head tilted up and turned to look at him.

Peter offered her a smile, his eyes displaying a million emotions all for her to see. He met her gaze with his own, never wavering and neither did she. He lost track of how long they remained there but time didn't matter at the moment.


End file.
